Fans at last year’s football game between Texas A&M University and the University of Alabama were treated to an epic game. After the game, unfortunately, many were also part of an epic traffic jam.
In response to this and the Kyle Field expansion that will result in a 28 percent increase in crowd capacity, Texas A&M University System Chancellor John Sharp commissioned the Kyle Field Transportation Plan to help fans get to and from the game as safely as possible and improve the overall game weekend experience.
“Our team at the Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI) has created traffic plans for many big events on an international scale and I am happy to have them lending their expertise here at home. We want to improve the overall game day experience every year, if possible, and this will be a big step forward in 2014 and again, in 2015,” said Chancellor Sharp.
TTI Senior Research Engineer Tim Lomax is leading the project, which resulted in a transportation plan and the development of a smartphone app called “Destination Aggieland.” Project partners are the City of College Station, City of Bryan, Texas A&M Athletics, Texas A&M Transportation Services, 12th Man Foundation, the Bryan/College Station Chamber of Commerce, the Bryan-College Station Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Downtown Bryan Association, the Texas Department of Transportation and local safety and law enforcement agencies.
The plans include changing traffic and shuttle-bus routes, improving the timing of traffic signals, creating more defined and safer pedestrian paths and providing more efficient pre-pay parking options. All this information is available on the Destination Aggieland app, which is free in the Apple App Store, and available for download at gameday.12thMan.com or through the university’s iPhone app, TAMUmobile at the Gameday link.
“With the Kyle Field expansion project, we’re going to have much larger game-day crowds this season,” said Executive Director for Transportation Services Peter Lange. “To ensure a great experience for our visitors, we’re introducing a few things — online pre-paid parking, extended free shuttle service with drop-off closer to the stadium, improved way finding, enhanced and safer pedestrian paths, and new game-day bike parking. We’re proud to be a part of the Destination Aggieland app project, which will provide real-time parking and shuttle information for all game-day fans.”
According to Lomax, the app is expected to streamline the entire game day process for football game attendees. He said the app is most beneficial when combined with pre-game planning.
“There have been some people who have been parking in the same area and taking the same route for the past 30 years,” Lomax said. “However, they will find an even better weekend experience if they download the app a few days before they come to Aggieland, explore their travel options and break a few old habits. I have an Aggie Ring; I know that when we do something two years in a row, we have to keep doing it, but this might be a good time to start some new traditions!”
The Destination Aggieland app is free and available for both iPhones and Androids. You can download it through TAMUmobile at the Gameday Central link or at gameday.12thMan.com.