TRAFFIC STRATEGIES TO ACCESS SUNTRUST PARK
The first Braves game in the new stadium will be March 31 exhibition game against the New York Yankees. Opening Day is April 14 when the Atlanta Braves play the San Diego Padres. Traffic has been a concern among residents and fans since the Braves’ move to SunTrust Park in Cobb County was announced in 2013. The reality is that there will be more vehicles coming into already a dense traffic area. To help, the Atlanta Braves announced that beginning with the 2017 season, their weekday evening home games will begin at 7:30 p.m. Combined with the more than $2 billion in public infrastructure enhancements along the Northwest corridor and the Cumberland area, the new start time is expected to create an improved travel experience for fans and commuters 365 days a year.
In addition to announcing a later start time, the Braves launched a new website detailing the infrastructure improvements and plans for easing congestion and enabling easy access to the new ballpark and mixed-use development, including 14 primary access points (compared to two at Turner Field), 360-degree parking surrounding the ballpark, three new pedestrian bridges, more total parking spaces and 15 percent fewer in-stadium seats.
“We recognize that traffic in the Atlanta area is an issue, and certainly has been a key frustration at Turner Field before and after ball games,” said Mike Plant, Braves president, development. “But the combination of infrastructure improvements, 360-degree access to the ballpark, pre and postgame activities at The Battery Atlanta and our new start time will make travel to and from SunTrust Park a better experience for our fans.”
BravesUpdate.com outlines significant investments in technology made by the Braves, such as the development of a new smartphone app for buying tickets, reserving parking spaces and receiving turn-by-turn navigation to those spaces. In addition, it spotlights collaborations with public transportation services CobbLinc and the Cumberland Circulator, as well as new features for Braves fans at SunTrust Park, including a bike valet and expanded ridesharing pick-up and drop-off locations.
The Cobb County Police Department, in collaboration with the Cobb County Department of Transportation and the Atlanta Braves, has developed a traffic management plan (TMP) for events at SunTrust Park. The County’s traffic plans include a Regional Transportation Management Center (TMC) and an adaptive traffic control system. The TMC will be linked with control centers in SunTrust Park and will facilitate review of more than 200 traffic cameras to coordinate rapid response to traffic needs. The adaptive traffic control system utilizes a central computer in the TMC to monitor traffic on every approach of every lane at every signalized intersection in the greater Cumberland/Galleria area to provide automatic traffic signal timing adjustments in real time based on changes in traffic patterns.
SunTrust Park’s location allows for 14 major points of access, offering entry from all directions. The majority of traffic will arrive and depart using Interstate 75 (north/south) and Interstate 285 (east/west) and disperse to parking locations in advance of the “front door” to the ballpark. For example, traffic from the north can exit the interstate early and navigate directly to parking on the north side of SunTrust Park. Traffic will flow through a broader thoroughfare network rather than accumulate on a few roadways, allowing for improved travel times and minimized congestion.
The Atlanta Braves also released their transportation and parking plan. Here are the main points of the plan:
Partnership with the Waze navigation app – The partnership will provide “real-time updates on road conditions” for commuters using the popular app. “Fans will receive directions from their doorstep directly to their assigned parking lot, each of which has its own address,” according to the Braves.
Partnership with Uber – Uber was named an official partner for the Braves so fans will be able to have a designated drop off and pick up spot on Windy Ridge Parkway. They will also be able to split the cost of rides with other fans coming to the game.
11,000 Parking Spaces owned/leased by the Braves – Scattered around the area of The Battery Atlanta are a handful of parking spaces that are either owned or leased by the Braves. 9,000 of those are dedicated for game day parking. They will sell A-List season parking and day-of parking.
Cobb County has also set up a permitting process for property owners who want to host parking in their lots. “We have identified the most critical intersections based on the current distribution of parking, but we know more parking will come online as property owners in the area apply for and are granted permits to park cars. Once this takes place, we will integrate them into this plan,” Lieutenant J.D. Lorens said.
Braves Shuttle – Because the parking is so spread out, the Braves are operating a shuttle service to “serve key points of interest in the area, as well as Braves managed parking lots.”
14 Access Points – Fourteen primary access points to SunTrust Park will open in April with the goal of “minimizing the impact of traffic on daily commuters.” “We have already analyzed and forecasted traffic flow through every corridor entering our development. While we know this plan will continue to evolve, we couldn’t be more pleased with where we are at this time,” said Mike Plant, president, development for the Braves.
SunTrust Park, the new 41,500-seat home of the Atlanta Braves, was developed in partnership with the Cobb-Marietta Coliseum and Exhibit Hall Authority and will be completed by Opening Day 2017. Located in Cobb County at the intersection of I-75 and I-285 in the bustling Cumberland CID, SunTrust Park will flow directly into The Battery Atlanta, a 1.5 million square foot mixed-use development, featuring boutique shopping, chef-driven restaurants, an Omni Hotel, The Coca-Cola Roxy Theatre, 550 residences and One Ballpark Center, Comcast’s regional office headquarters. Powered by Comcast’s all-fiber network and delivering multi-terabit capabilities, SunTrust Park and The Battery Atlanta will have the highest-capacity network serving any stadium and mixed-use development in the nation. The Battery Atlanta is being privately developed by the Braves along with retail partner Fuqua Development, office developer Pope & Land Enterprises and Pollack Shores Real Estate. Visitors can get a sneak peek of SunTrust Park and The Battery Atlanta at braves.com/SunTrustPark or batteryatlanta.
