Traffic patterns during the week are tolerable, and we can get to and from classes for the most part, considering the construction taking place on-campus.  However, I did scout one issue that took place during the game on Saturday.

Two of the event group staffers were directing traffic near Zacharias Village and they allowed the turning lane to block the intersection.  One car wanted to turn left but ended up doing a U-turn, while the others had to wait until the intersection cleared briefly.  

One of the guys directing traffic was off to the left of center, the other dealing with a driver seeking some information.  While this took place, the line in the left turn lane facing Ruby Hall curved from the left turn lane to in front of the parking lot across from Griffis.  The two event officers at the intersection were a bit overwhelmed, and whoever helped before could have stuck around to help get the situation moving better.  

While there were no emergency vehicles making their way, it wouldn’t take much to create a bottleneck when emergency vehicles do have to travel the road.  

Improvement on this side would include having police direct traffic while the event crew handles crowd control.  At the very least, more experienced traffic management people should be used.  

There are some things to take into consideration when traveling during game day at home.  The first tip is to consult the website HailState.com for any information on gameday activities.  It is available on your smartphone through the browser.  This site can help people plan their trip and avoid the trouble spots created by last minute arrivals to the campus parking.  Another website, if you want an easy map of the campus ,is Google Maps. Because the campus is marked.  You can also get the map through smart.msstate.edu or transit.msstate.edu, which links to the SMART Transit line.

Tip number two is to get here early.  Make no mistake; traffic is a problem, especially if a portable television studio blocks one road as SEC Nation has demonstrated.  Early mornings are less of a hassle than midday on an early game day like we have.  Part of that tip is to plan to leave a little later than normal, since others are looking to leave right away.  

Pack your patience and make sure you do not run out of it.  In an interview on WCBI-TV, MSU Police Chief Vance Rice said it would take anywhere from an hour to an hour and a half to empty the traffic lanes.  He also advised to have an alternate route planned just in case.  

The best resource is transit.msstate.edu for the convenient map of campus and Hailstate.com for the rest of the Gameday information.  Between the two resources, you’re sure to manage better with the traffic situation.

Gameday can be a great experience for everyone.  The key is how you manage it.  That makes all the  difference in the experience.