Parking lot issues!

carvers4math

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Mar 15, 2012
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That's the thing, though. University isn't the only way out, but a lot of people fail to realize that it's possible to actually save time by going a longer distance.
We usually either go north or sometimes west due to construction to leave Ames even though ultimately we need to go southeast to get home.
 

NoCreativity

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Nov 12, 2015
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I’m G6 as well, literally got out of the lot in 3-4 minutes and was back to Waukee before 11pm. We were actually confused on how we got out so fast but certainly not complaining.
You must have just got out early enough then. I had to wait about 10 minutes for my friends who had seats in the other side of the stadium and by then it was backed up.
 
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DSM4Cy

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One of the biggest problems were people like you, they need to shut Lincoln eastbound down. That was the biggest issue.

The other issue was people from the other lots were going north into us around Hilton. They would bumper to bumper and not let anyone alternate in like the rest usually do. Then the guy in front of me went to the back of his pickup, grabbed a drink and let a whole run of cars infront of him. Thanks bud!!
Why would I be the problem if I was going west on Lincoln Way? Geez.
 

nfrine

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Mar 31, 2006
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We loaded up our RV after a massive tailgate, but saw traffic standing still on University. Where was the bottleneck?

  • University Blvd. and S. 16th/Reiman Gardens?
  • University Blvd. and US-30?
  • US-30 and I-35?
Most of the bottleneck seemed to be with the traffic control folks. As we walked out (parked off campus) we went through the area between Trice and Hilton. At every control point the traffic control folks seemed confused or were arguing about where to stand or place barricades. There appeared to a lack of preparation and training.
 
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wxman1

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You must have just got out early enough then. I had to wait about 10 minutes for my friends who had seats in the other side of the stadium and by then it was backed up.

Agreed. I walked ahead with a friend but had to wait at the car for my parents. If we would have left when I got there we would likely have been fine, waiting 5ish more minutes was all that it took. For reference, we are usually close to or in Tama county when Cyclone Reaction comes on and on the west side of CR when it ends. We had just gotten onto Lincolway when it came on this week.
 

somecyguy

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Jun 19, 2006
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Took 45 minutes to get out of C1. I am sure some of it is short staffing but they need to take a serious look at how they get people out of there. Traffic on university should never stop moving south of Mortensen with only occasional breaks north of there for letting traffic in from mortensen. They have the troopers there but it seems like most of the time they don't do anything.

Absolutely no left turns!

Leaving the Ohio game, traffic was moving just fine, everyone turning right onto University when this one guy, flips on his left turn signal. Barricades, signs and troopers all there to show there is no left turn and he thinks turning on his signal is going to change all that. He stops and backs everyone up while he presumably argued with the trooper for a minute or two before finally moving again. That is the stuff that slows everything down and pisses people off.
 
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wxman1

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Leaving the Ohio game, traffic was moving just fine, everyone turning right onto University when this one guy, flips on his left turn signal. Barricades, signs and troopers all there to show there is no left turn and he thinks turning on his signal is going to change all that. He stops and backs everyone up while he presumably argued with the trooper for a minute or two before finally moving again. That is the stuff that slows everything down and pisses people off.

You know us midwesterners (especially non large city midwesterners) can't be bothered to take a less direct route or park further away and walk/take other transportation to be more efficient.
 

BillBrasky4Cy

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A2 was brutal and we got to our car pretty quickly -but took 70 minutes to get to Lincoln Way -some games it takes 5 minutes.
Which is silly, that north lot should empty pretty fast if traffic is directed properly. IMO the problem isn't just getting out of the lots it's the other nearest major intersections where traffic isn't being directed.
 
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Cycsk

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It might help if they actually published maps for entering and exiting traffic. Clearly they have a master plan for entering, but I sometimes wonder if there is one for exiting.
 
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CapnCy

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Why would I be the problem if I was going west on Lincoln Way? Geez.
Once out of the main lots at JTS, i know my way around some of the "sneaky" cut throughs...but I got to Lincoln Way and was like "holy crap, what is the hold up" as it was log jammed near Dunkin and a bit west....well, get further west and the freakin drive through line for McDs was backed up into Lincoln Way about a block...so the flow of traffic was all messed up.

Also got me thinking....if you were hungry post game.....why wait in line for the McD drive through when you could easily pop into HyVee, Kum and Go, etc. and get in/out quicker.
 

Cycsk

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Once out of the main lots at JTS, i know my way around some of the "sneaky" cut throughs...but I got to Lincoln Way and was like "holy crap, what is the hold up" as it was log jammed near Dunkin and a bit west....well, get further west and the freakin drive through line for McDs was backed up into Lincoln Way about a block...so the flow of traffic was all messed up.

Also got me thinking....if you were hungry post game.....why wait in line for the McD drive through when you could easily pop into HyVee, Kum and Go, etc. and get in/out quicker.


I hit that traffic around 11:30pm after the game and wondered what the heck was going on. McD's drive-through.
 

2speedy1

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The people directing traffic are complete idiots, they have no idea what they are doing. They also try to funnel all traffic to the same location. Last year I decided to buy parking in different areas to see if I liked other areas better. What I noticed is they forced all the traffic towards the congestion.

I parked one game out on the public lots on 16th, they forced us in the traffic jam towards University. There was no traffic going towards Duff, and the lot was not moving at all. Because University was at a stand still.

When leaving the lots they force too many lots to go the same way, instead of diverting traffic to opposite directions, then you have people that are too stupid to realize its faster to go out of town a different way than to only go to one exit. People will go through the neighborhoods clear out by the Towers and still try to turn back towards University instead of just going to Dakota. People will go to University or Duff instead of hitting Dayton. People think it will cost them time to go north to 13th St to get on I35, so they sit in the traffic jam going south on University.

People need to realize going the opposite way to get away from the congestion and then coming back is better then sitting in the congestion not moving.

And Best Crowd Management are horrible. They should be eliminated from any event. They have been horrendous since hired.
 

06_CY

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Apr 11, 2006
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I was one of the last to leave the stands; told the worker lady I was in no hurry to fight the crowd. Walked back to B1; within 10 minutes was on Lincoln Way.

Ames streets were actually worse. Took Grand to 13th, just to find it crazy backed up. Took some side streets North then East to Duff. Got right on 13th from Duff and east to 35 South.

They shouldn't be allowing vehicles to drive into the lots after the game as everyone was leaving. Wasn't a big issue at the B1 entrance, but a couple did come in.
 

NoCreativity

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I usually park in public grass lots so this was my first time buying parking in G6. Is it customary for people in the pay lots to show up an hour before and expect to get a spot?

We got there around 2:30 for tailgating, around 530 or so there's numerous people just coming in trying to squeeze in between some cars that had already been there all afternoon.
 

theshadow

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Apr 19, 2006
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I usually park in public grass lots so this was my first time buying parking in G6. Is it customary for people in the pay lots to show up an hour before and expect to get a spot?

We got there around 2:30 for tailgating, around 530 or so there's numerous people just coming in trying to squeeze in between some cars that had already been there all afternoon.

Well, they've paid for a spot in that donor lot, so yes -- they can show up whenever they'd like and expect a spot to be available.

If they had to squeeze in between cars to find space then that's on (a) whoever is directing parking and (b) people who feel the need to spread out and take more space than they should.