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Traffic after the game - stupac2 - 09-06-2016

Does anyone know who is in charge of planning post-event traffic measures? Because whoever they are, they royally shat the bed on Friday. I've been mulling over how I want to respond to this, but it was bad enough that something needs to be done.

First, before the game, they had shut down pedestrian crossing at Galvez and Campus and were routing people to a crossing about 50 yards away. But, just, why? If you're shutting down traffic in both directions anyway, this serves no purpose at all, it just makes everything confusing.

Second, and what really bothered me, is that they weren't allowing turns from Campus to Quarry after the game. This has never, ever happened before, and caught me totally be surprise. It wouldn't have been that bad, except that the crossing guard there was the last one stationed, so the 3-4 stop signs further down the road were still slowing traffic, and there was so much traffic that getting through there took at least 20 minutes. I can't imagine what point there is to shutting down Quarry (because it's better to have more traffic going down Palm if people want to go to 101?), but if you're going to do it you should at least expedite the route to 280. I have never seen it so backlogged there, and I've been using that route almost exclusively for 5 years now.

I know how bull-headed Stanford's bureaucracy is so I don't expect feedback to be taken into consideration, but I at least want to know if this idiocy is going to be a regular feature going forward so I can plan around it. I'm thinking about parking in that lot across from the hospital, I assume that's the same sort of parking as the various garages around campus.

Re: Traffic after the game - CompSci87 - 09-06-2016

There was an announcement of traffic routing changes that were supposed to be an improvement. Hopefully those in charge gathered data and will evaluate whether it really worked. Don't withhold your feedback assuming it won't be listened to.

Re: Traffic after the game - stupac2 - 09-06-2016

(09-06-2016, 09:21 AM)CompSci87 link Wrote:There was an announcement of traffic routing changes that were supposed to be an improvement. Hopefully those in charge gathered data and will evaluate whether it really worked. Don't withhold your feedback assuming it won't be listened to.

I won't, I mostly want to know where to direct it for maximum chances of it having an effect. Some people here are pretty plugged into the administration, I figure Terry or someone has an idea of where to look.

Re: Traffic after the game - BostonCard - 09-06-2016

The intersection of Galvez and Campus became a traffic circle, which probably helps traffic regularly, but does make it more difficult to manage a pedestrian crossing during heavy traffic times.  The alternate pedestrian crossing made some sense.

For easy ingress and egress, I always park west of Bing Concert Hall (and, unless I am very early to the game, usually West of Palm Drive).  It's a little bit more of a walk from the stadium to parking (10 -15 minutes), but parking is free, there is plenty of it in the Roth Way garage (next to the Rodin Sculpture garden), the walk is always pleasant, it's easily accessible to/from 280, which is how I drive to the campus, and there is never a back-up getting out of the garage, and rarely much slowdown getting onto the freeway.  If I'm there early enough that there are spots (usually 1 + hours PTK), I will park on the surface A parking along Museum way, Lausen St., or Roth Way, but when I don't want to chance it, the Roth Garage is perfect.

BC

Re: Traffic after the game - Phogge - 09-06-2016

Just another dropped popup by the university. Recently denied a parking pass when covering a story for a well known national magazine show and not allowed to shoot establishers on the Quad. Instead given poor B-Roll that probably was shot on an I Phone. Often witnessed a long time rent a cop on Campus Drive across from whatever they now call the Track Store berating motorists and peds. Not to mention a jackass shuttle bus driver chewing out my soundman for daring to cross the street (in the crosswalk) in front of his vehicle.

We joke about the "Stanford attitude" sometimes when covering events on the Farm. Makes me long for the days of Spiros in the Med Center, Bob Lamar on science shoots and Murph, Cavalli and Rose in the SID office although the present staff of young kids is very polite and helpful. But I've turned down two recent shoots at the school just because it's not worth the hassle.

Re: Traffic after the game - stupac2 - 09-06-2016

(09-06-2016, 10:29 AM)Boston Card link Wrote:The intersection of Galvez and Campus became a traffic circle, which probably helps traffic regularly, but does make it more difficult to manage a pedestrian crossing during heavy traffic times.  The alternate pedestrian crossing made some sense.

For easy ingress and egress, I always park west of Bing Concert Hall (and, unless I am very early to the game, usually West of Palm Drive).  It's a little bit more of a walk from the stadium to parking (10 -15 minutes), but parking is free, there is plenty of it in the Roth Way garage (next to the Rodin Sculpture garden), the walk is always pleasant, it's easily accessible to/from 280, which is how I drive to the campus, and there is never a back-up getting out of the garage, and rarely much slowdown getting onto the freeway.  If I'm there early enough that there are spots (usually 1 + hours PTK), I will park on the surface A parking along Museum way, Lausen St., or Roth Way, but when I don't want to chance it, the Roth Garage is perfect.

BC

The Roth parking lot is where I normally park too, but since I go straight out of it to Quarry and couldn't this time it completely screwed up my plans.

Re: Traffic after the game - CrazedZooChimp - 09-06-2016

Was it worse than the line getting into the stadium? "I have an idea, let's have four open gates here, but make everyone go through one bag check person..."

Re: Traffic after the game - Leftcoast - 09-06-2016

There are options. 

We parked at Paly and took Alma to Page Mill to 280.  We were on 280 with minimal traffic within 15 minutes of arriving a the Paly lot after the game was over.  Parking at Palo Alto High is $20.

Re: Traffic after the game - stupac2 - 09-06-2016

(09-06-2016, 11:25 AM)CrazedZooChimp link Wrote:Was it worse than the line getting into the stadium? "I have an idea, let's have four open gates here, but make everyone go through one bag check person..."

I have a whole other rant about that with the diaper bag situation ("Let's have only one gate that people with kids can go to, but not tell anyone ahead of time!") but will spare everyone.

(09-06-2016, 11:29 AM)leftcoast link Wrote:There are options. 

We parked at Paly and took Alma to Page Mill to 280.  We were on 280 with minimal traffic within 15 minutes of arriving a the Paly lot after the game was over.  Parking at Palo Alto High is $20.

Right, there are lots of potential options, but evaluating the best ones requires knowing what the hell they're going to do with traffic patterns, and they completely screwed me over on that last game, and ruined my confidence that they'll keep it similar game-to-game. I really want to be able to communicate with whoever plans this so I can know what they're doing and plan around any insanity.

Re: Traffic after the game - BostonCard - 09-06-2016

(09-06-2016, 11:25 AM)CrazedZooChimp link Wrote:Was it worse than the line getting into the stadium? "I have an idea, let's have four open gates here, but make everyone go through one bag check person..."

I arrived to the gate 5 minutes PTK and was at my seats in time to see McCaffrey return the opening kickoff.  Gate 2 had virtually no line.

BC

Re: Traffic after the game - stupac2 - 09-06-2016

The lines I saw were fine, except for the fact that it took two tries to get to the necessary spot in order to enter with a diaper bag.

Re: Traffic after the game - terry - 09-06-2016

(09-06-2016, 10:18 AM)stupac2 link Wrote:I won't, I mostly want to know where to direct it for maximum chances of it having an effect. Some people here are pretty plugged into the administration, I figure Terry or someone has an idea of where to look.

I'm not sure who is responsible for traffic and parking. I probably would start with Jamie Breslin (jbreslin@stanford.edu), Associate Athletics Director for Facilities, Operations and Events.

Re: Traffic after the game - fullmetal - 09-06-2016

There's also the "Fan Experience and Community Relations" people:

Shelley Heward Director • Fan Experience sheward@stanford.edu
Caitlin Hartley Assistant Director • Fan Experience
Hayley Witt Fan Experience Assistant 910.603.4734 hkwitt@stanford.edu
Laura Wakefield Fan Experience Assistant lauraw21@stanford.edu

From: http://www.gostanford.com/staff.aspx

Re: Traffic after the game - CrazedZooChimp - 09-06-2016

(09-06-2016, 12:30 PM)Boston Card link Wrote:[quote author=CrazedZooChimp link=topic=15597.msg170240#msg170240 date=1473186346]
Was it worse than the line getting into the stadium? "I have an idea, let's have four open gates here, but make everyone go through one bag check person..."

I arrived to the gate 5 minutes PTK and was at my seats in time to see McCaffrey return the opening kickoff.  Gate 2 had virtually no line.

BC
[/quote]

Good to know, Gate 12 and 13 were messes. I considered walking around the stadium, might do that next time.

Re: Traffic after the game - HisKneeWasDown - 09-11-2016

My son started attending Michigan, so I've had the chance to attend a few games there. 100,000+ fans, and these fans are *serious* fans. Yet they get everyone in and out amazingly well... much much better than Stanford. They only have 6 gates. There's about the same amount of parking (they take over the golf course and the high school next door). They only have two major roads (Main and State) that go to one major highway (I-96) and we have a few... Embarcadero and Oregon to 101, Page Mill and Sand Hill to 280. Few things they do differently:

1) No bags at all. Period. So there's no bag search. None. Nada (exceptions for diapers, medical etc).
2) They have a ton of remote parking with bus service. Parking is free, but the bus is not.
3) They have people directing traffic in the lots *after* the games. It's ridiculous how the parking staff disappears at Stanford... post-game is when you need them the *most* (especially with all the night games... I swear there were times I was afraid I'd drive into a ditch trying to leave the dirt lot). I guess you've spent your money so who cares how long it takes for you to get home?

I'm sure there's also a lot that I don't notice. Stanford would do well seeing how other schools do things.

Re: Traffic after the game - ThePassionOfTheChryst - 09-11-2016

(09-11-2016, 09:41 PM)HisKneeWasDown link Wrote:3) They have people directing traffic in the lots *after* the games. It's ridiculous how the parking staff disappears at Stanford... post-game is when you need them the *most* (especially with all the night games... I swear there were times I was afraid I'd drive into a ditch trying to leave the dirt lot). I guess you've spent your money so who cares how long it takes for you to get home?

I'm sure there's also a lot that I don't notice. Stanford would do well seeing how other schools do things.

The 49ers do this at Levi's both pre and post. It works well.

I'm fortunate that I have friends who live just a short walk from campus who lend me their driveway on game days, I had no idea getting out of the parking lots was so treacherous.

Re: Traffic after the game - Mick - 09-12-2016

(09-11-2016, 09:41 PM)HisKneeWasDown link Wrote:My son started attending Michigan, so I've had the chance to attend a few games there. 100,000+ fans, and these fans are *serious* fans. Yet they get everyone in and out amazingly well... much much better than Stanford. They only have 6 gates. There's about the same amount of parking (they take over the golf course and the high school next door). They only have two major roads (Main and State) that go to one major highway (I-96) and we have a few... Embarcadero and Oregon to 101, Page Mill and Sand Hill to 280. Few things they do differently:

1) No bags at all. Period. So there's no bag search. None. Nada (exceptions for diapers, medical etc).
2) They have a ton of remote parking with bus service. Parking is free, but the bus is not.
3) They have people directing traffic in the lots *after* the games. It's ridiculous how the parking staff disappears at Stanford... post-game is when you need them the *most* (especially with all the night games... I swear there were times I was afraid I'd drive into a ditch trying to leave the dirt lot). I guess you've spent your money so who cares how long it takes for you to get home?

I'm sure there's also a lot that I don't notice. Stanford would do well seeing how other schools do things.

I will be at a few of those games this year.  True, they only have six gates, but they are very wide.  Ingress and egress is not a problem.  UM is such a large school, that it's very similar to the Stanford experience, just x2.5.  Tailgates are about the same, the fans are very serious, they're very polite to visitors.  My brother (Oregon State) and I attended the game last year decked out in orange with about 6,000 other OSU fans.  UM fans are very polite, and the typical UM football fan is extremely knowledgeable.  Even though the stadium is in the middle of the town/campus, there's no real issue with departures, given that most fans tailgate for a while after games

Re: Traffic after the game - stupac2 - 09-12-2016

For the sake of posterity and the search function, the actual person to contact is apparently Christoper Dorst: cdorst@stanford.edu.

He informed that blocking Quarry was a mistake and apologized for it. Hopefully that will be fixed going forward.