CoTA Access Report

[msd3075]

Where were the local food trailers we heard about? I made several trips around the track and never saw one I recognized. Just the generic Sodexo stuff and Juicy's, which I'd never seen before.

The food trucks were near Turn 11 on the north side between the grandstand and the RV parking. Had chicken and waffles one day and then steak breakfast tacos another day. Both very good.

[msd3075]

12 wasn't properly bolted to its concrete pylons. Several of us noticed it when walking around the front of it.

I figured something wasn't held down correctly. It seemed to only move back and forth when everyone was standing and/or moving at once (National Anthem, first lap, etc).

[gt58411e]

Lot Q worked perfect for parking. No bus lines, except for after the race on Sunday which was an hour wait. The line moved much faster when they realized it's quicker to fill more than one bus at a time (duh). Also, there was no traffic at all on the side streets we took. Doyle (on Fri/Sat) and Stork (on Sun) to Hokanson.

Where were the local food trailers we heard about? I made several trips around the track and never saw one I recognized. Just the generic Sodexo stuff and Juicy's, which I'd never seen before.

They were also in the Grand Plaza area. Here's an article explaining which were the local food trucks. There were 10 of them at the track: http://trailerfooddiaries.blogspot.c...cks-at-f1.html

[hookem]

Lot Q worked perfect for parking. No bus lines, except for after the race on Sunday which was an hour wait. The line moved much faster when they realized it's quicker to fill more than one bus at a time (duh). Also, there was no traffic at all on the side streets we took. Doyle (on Fri/Sat) and Stork (on Sun) to Hokanson.

They were also in the Grand Plaza area. Here's an article explaining which were the local food trucks. There were 10 of them at the track: http://trailerfooddiaries.blogspot.c...cks-at-f1.html

That was my experience from Lot L too. Very quick to get to the track, no real traffic delays at all. Leaving, sure. But even on Sunday I don't think we waited more than 45 mins in the lot (it takes longer than that to just get out of the stadium at a UT game). Then once on the actual roads (the part everyone was so afraid of) the delay was nothing. We weren't directed on to 812, however. We were directed off on some back roads in the opposite direction for awhile, but it was worth it because we were moving away from the worst traffic, and the total road delay might have been 30 mins or so max. Plenty of time to go home in West Austin, rest a bit, then party again downtown.

As for Hairy's traffic pic... I didn't see 812, but I'd imagine if it was taken 2.5 hrs after the race it was probably at the peak traffic time. No one gets in their car right after the race finishes. COTA is a huge facility, so people would be spending probably 10-30 mins or more walking to their car if they left *immediately* (ie, didn't hang around to listen to the bands or anything). Then there is the reality of emptying each parking lot, which is time consuming at any big event. Again, no different than a parking garage at a UT game. Limited exits and and everyone leaving at the same time, it's a wait to be expected, doesn't really have anything to do with a traffic plan.

And regarding the food trucks, I saw them but they were obviously overwhelmed and not capable of serving the volume that the other vendors could. So I doubt any significant percentage of the attendees got to try them. The idea of food trucks is a nice shout out to the local scene, but really only those vendors who can do huge volumes (like the vendors at the Texas State Fair in Dallas) could adequately service the crowd, and there weren't enough of those type of food stands.

Beer was easier to get than food, luckily. But they could have used tons more of those mobile guys walking around and selling it on race day.

[msd3075]

And regarding the food trucks, I saw them but they were obviously overwhelmed and not capable of serving the volume that the other vendors could. So I doubt any significant percentage of the attendees got to try them. The idea of food trucks is a nice shout out to the local scene, but really only those vendors who can do huge volumes (like the vendors at the Texas State Fair in Dallas) could adequately service the crowd, and there weren't enough of those type of food stands.

It was nice seeing Fletcher's there near the T12 grandstand. Too bad I already had a ton of them after leaving this year's game early....

[hairy_scotsman]

As for Hairy's traffic pic... I didn't see 812, but I'd imagine if it was taken 2.5 hrs after the race it was probably at the peak traffic time. No one gets in their car right after the race finishes. COTA is a huge facility, so people would be spending probably 10-30 mins or more walking to their car if they left *immediately* (ie, didn't hang around to listen to the bands or anything). Then there is the reality of emptying each parking lot, which is time consuming at any big event. Again, no different than a parking garage at a UT game. Limited exits and and everyone leaving at the same time, it's a wait to be expected, doesn't really have anything to do with a traffic plan.

Traffic plan? The problem with POV traffic is the same as it's always been since the project was announced...

Lack of lanes and diversity of ingress/egress routes.

[hairy_scotsman]

It was nice seeing Fletcher's there near the T12 grandstand. Too bad I already had a ton of them after leaving this year's game early....

Man, I hear ya brother. I've been to ~25 Texas-ou (sucks) games. First time I've ever left early. What a pathetic display of ... everything.

[hookem]

Traffic plan? The problem with POV traffic is the same as it's always been since the project was announced...

Lack of lanes and diversity of ingress/egress routes.

Yep traffic plan. As in what the other circuits apparently don't bother to do, or if they do they don't bother to share it with the public.

Honestly, I'm not sure how many more lanes need to be added, unless they expect to really increase the number of tickets they sell. FM812 and Elroy expansion couldn't hurt, and I'm sure the state and city/county will probably do those things. But for COTA there seems like there are other more important things.

BTW, inquiring minds want to know... Hairy, who gave y'all the paddock pass and full course access? Was it CoTA? That must have been a pretty sweet deal.

[gregglee]

Below is a pic I took from Lot A outside the Main GS on Sunday 2.5 hours after the end of the GP. Traffic was still backed up over 3 miles back from SH 130, past the track to Wild Bubba's and around the corner on Elroy Road as far as we could see.

It was completely different for us. We didn't rush to the parking lot, but at 4:30 (1:30 after end of GP) we drove right out of a virtually empty lo tF, turned south onto COTA blvd toward 812. Delay of 1-2 minutes to merge with traffic leaving lot A (controlled by traffic cop) flowed smoothly turning right onto 812 west (traffic cops at corner but we didn't have to stop) then smoothly on 812 (3 lanes westbound) to SH 130. Crowded but moving with few slowdowns. Another couple minutes to work through 812/130 intersection to turn south on 130. At least two traffic cops both sides of 812/130 intersection.