Managing Travel for Planned Special Events

Chapter Fourteen. Regional/Multi-Venue Event

Figure 14-1. Regional/Multi-Venue Event: Bradley Center, U.S. Cellular Arena, and Midwest Airlines Center (convention center) Adjacent to 4th Street in Milwaukee, WI

Purpose  

In order to assist the user in planning for a particular planned special event, this chapter describes an advance planning and travel management process and considerations specific to a regional/multi-venue event. It summarizes recommended policies, guidelines, procedures, and resource applications that were previously discussed in the first ten chapters of this technical reference. This chapter presents these guidelines and procedures in tables, flowcharts, and checklists that can be followed to help guide the user through all the stages of a planned special event of this category for a particular locale. Although Chapter 3 presents all the steps necessary to manage travel for a planned special event, this chapter provides a roadmap to help guide the user through all five phases of managing travel for planned special events, identifying issues, analysis, and products applicable to regional/multi-venue events. To further guide readers, this chapter specifies references to special considerations and best practices relating to this event category.

Introduction  

In order to guide the user, this chapter addresses four key topics, corresponding to five phases of managing travel for planned special events, including: (1) event operations planning, (2) implementation and day-of-event activities, (3) post-event activities, and (4) program planning. In planning for all planned special events in a region, the final section on program planning highlights issues to consider that evolve from and/or pertain to regional/multi-venue events. By following each one of the steps and procedures, the user will have identified and covered all the significant aspects that are necessary to result in successful management of travel for a planned special event with characteristics specific to a regional/multi-venue event.

A regional/multi-venue event refers to multiple planned special events that occur within a region at or near the same time. Individual events may differ by classification category. Table 14-1 indicates different types of planned special events classified as a regional/multi-venue event. Concurrent planned special events require consideration as a regional/multi-venue event if traffic generated by different, competing special events use the same traffic flow routes (e.g., freeway/arterial corridors, local streets) or parking areas over the same time frame. As a result, stakeholders involved in planning and managing individual special events must, as a group, forecast and mitigate the global impact of concurrent special events on transportation system operations. Table 14-2 lists key characteristics of a regional/multi-venue event.

Special Considerations

In light of the characteristics of a regional/multi-venue event, special considerations when planning such an event include:

• Traffic flow routes to/from different events may use the same road segments, and predominant traffic demand occurs in the same or opposite directions.
• Traffic flow routes that serve different special event venues may intersect.
• Overflow parking areas typically reserved for a recurring special event or permanent venue may be required to accommodate demand from nearby concurrent events.
• Ingress and egress operations for concurrent events may occur at the same time.
• Event patrons and participants may travel from one planned special event to another.
• Traffic control and traveler information for different special events can confuse event patrons.

Event Operations Planning  

Planned regional/multi-venue events include, for example, multi-day sporting games (e.g., Olympic style) that require multiple venues to stage various events and major fireworks displays in areas offering several vantage points (e.g., parks, etc.) spread out over a large area. Other regional/multi-venue events evolve as a result of individual planned special events slated to occur within a region at or near the same time. These events involve any combination of discrete/recurring events at a permanent venue, continuous events, and street use events. As a result, the collective regional/multi-venue event often represents a one-time occurrence, particularly if one or more individual events involve a sporting or concert event. Concurrent events may span one day or multiple days.

The scope and infrequent occurrence of a regional/multi-venue event generally requires the event planning team(s) to develop: (1) a feasibility study, (2) a traffic management plan, and (3) travel demand management initiatives (as necessary) in the event operations planning phase. The overall event operations planning approach for a regional/multi-venue event remains the same for all event types. That is, the event planning team should first develop preliminary event operations products on a venue-by-venue basis and then combine and evaluate venue-specific findings and recommended mitigation actions for the regional/multi-venue event. The latter step helps to determine: (1) additional transportation system capacity constraints not identified in individual event/venue analyses, (2) potential conflicts in event/venue traffic management plan provisions, and (3) additional mitigation measures designed to improve transportation operations for the overall regional/multi-venue event.

A regional/multi-venue event places an emphasis on interagency coordination and collaboration. Each venue event may involve a distinct group of planning and operations stakeholders if individual events within a region do not relate to each other. Event operations planning for a regional/multi-venue event requires input and participation by all involved stakeholder groups. Public agency stakeholders responsible for the planning or approval of individual venue events should facilitate interaction between event planning teams and ensure mitigation of transportation and community impacts from the composite regional/multi-venue event.

Figure 14-2 presents 31 steps in the event operations planning process for all planned special events. The flowchart covers development and integration of the phase's aforementioned three products. Table 14-3 complements the flowchart by providing step-by-step guidance on issues and recommended analyses for a regional/multi-venue event. The table also presents reference information contained in this handbook that is specific to regional/multi-venue events. While all of the major handbook topics under event operations planning apply to a regional/multi-venue event, Table 14-3 indicates planning considerations and agency example applications (e.g., via narratives or figures) within the context of this event category. In turn, practitioners can use example applications presented for a regional/multi-venue event to manage travel for other categories of planned special events.

Figure 14-2. Event Operations Planning Process Flowchart D

Table 14-3. Event Operations Planning Steps: Regional/Multi-Venue Event

Step No.	Page	Event-Specific Issues	Event-Specific Reference Information: Topic	Event-Specific Reference Information: Page
1	5-20	Performance of step for each individual event.
2	7-9	Potential financial incentive for transit service to expand service or provide express/charter service.
3	5-21	Performance of step for each individual event.
4	5-22	Performance of step for each individual event.
5	5-25	Performance of step for each individual event.
6	5-27	Variable demand rates from different events. Staggering of event times creates continuous turnover over the course of the day-of-event.	Special consideration: Parking demand analysis. Special consideration: Shared parking operation.	5-27
6	5-27	Variable demand rates from different events. Staggering of event times creates continuous turnover over the course of the day-of-event.	Example: Parking occupancy summary; Table 5-17.	5-29
7	5-29	Performance of step for each individual event.	Example: Preliminary road segment capacity analysis; Figure 5-13.	5-30
8	5-30	Analysis of multiple time periods.
9	6-32	Design of service specific to individual parking areas or events. Establish service, as necessary, to accommodate satellite parking areas (e.g., event patron and employee parking), transit stations, and event participants (e.g., to/from area hotels).
10	6-13	Conflict concerning multiple events using one lot
11	6-38
12	6-38	Multiple events using the same traffic flow route.
13	6-40
14	6-41	Evaluation of needs for each individual event.
15	6-43	Key consideration if road closures are required to stage an event(s).
16	6-45
17	6-49
18	6-51
19	6-57
19	6-57
20	6-16	Circulation conflicts caused by multiple events in the same area.
21	6-20
22	6-23	Circulation conflicts caused by multiple events in the same area.	Example: Parking occupancy monitoring plan; Table 6-11.	6-24
23	6-28	Consideration of pedestrian access routes that connect different venues.
24	6-32
25	6-9	Consideration of detailed analysis (e.g., tabletop exercises) and modeling.
26	7-2 to 7-14	High applicability of all travel demand management initiatives to this event category.	Example: Local travel demand management techniques.	7-8
26	7-2 to 7-14	High applicability of all travel demand management initiatives to this event category.	Example: Express bus service.	7-11
27	7-6	Performance of step for each individual event.	Example: Event patron incentives; Figure 7-5.	7-7
28	6-72	Key consideration for freeway corridors within a region.	Example: Traffic incident quick clearance strategies; Table 6-40.	6-75
29	6-61
30	6-70
31	7-14	Key step for infrequent events.	Example: Dissemination of pre-trip traveler information via the Internet.	7-17
31	7-14	Key step for infrequent events.	Example: Use of 511 service for a planned special event.	7-18

The flowchart in Figure 14-2 represents a suggested order of event operations planning activities. However, as noted below, the event planning team can modify activities to create a dynamic and more effective planning process tailored to the scope of a specific planned special event:

• The event planning team should repeat process steps, as indicated in Table 14-3, for individual venue events comprising the regional/multi-venue event.
• Final planning products should account for the overall impact of the regional/multi-venue event.
• Links between process steps are two-way as stakeholders evaluate alternative strategies and/or integrate traffic management plan components.
• The event planning team can develop different traffic management plan components concurrently.

The event operations planning process references information and concepts contained in the advance planning section of this handbook, and it directs the user to recommended guidelines, procedures, strategies, and resource applications for managing travel for a specific planned special event. When following the process, practitioners should review:

• Advance planning and travel management process and considerations provided in Chapters 11 through 13, as appropriate, for individual venue events comprising the regional/multi-venue event.
• Important advance planning considerations and external factors, summarized in Chapter 5, that influence planning activities.
• Section on "Special Considerations" in Chapter 6 with regard to transporting dignitaries and event participants.
• Traffic management plan components in Chapter 6 that provide an overview of various principles driving plan development in addition to a contingency plan checklist.

Implementation and Day-of-Event Activities  

Implementation activities represent an essential phase in advance planning for regional/multi-venue events. Depending on event type, one traffic management team may handle day-of-event operations for multiple venues (e.g., sporting games) or a single venue. Nonetheless, implementation plans for individual event venues must correlate in terms of traffic control strategies deployed and resources used. Such specifications can be organized through matrices for easy reference.

Because regional/multi-venue events occur infrequently, stakeholder simulation exercises prove valuable in assisting traffic management team supervisors and field personnel understand the roles and responsibilities of participating stakeholders in addition to the operations game plan and actions for individual venue events. Tabletop exercises allow traffic management team officials to review the impact of certain event-specific action plans on other concurrent events. A full-scale simulation proves advantageous by providing venue managers and transportation operators, stationed at various command posts (e.g., on-site and at the transportation management center), with the opportunity to test the communications infrastructure used on the day-of-event. These intensive stakeholder activities reflect the typical unfamiliarity with managing travel for a regional/multi-venue event coupled with the fact that transportation management activities usually performed for a particular, recurring special event may require modification to accommodate nearby concurrent planned special events.

Table 14-4 presents a checklist of implementation and day-of-event activities for stakeholders to consider regarding any regional/multi-venue event. The event planning team must determine, based on various event operations characteristics (e.g., event type, event location, event time of occurrence, attendance, market area, etc.) and other external factors, what unique set of activities apply in handling all venue events comprising a regional/multi-venue special event. In turn, stakeholders should review the special considerations and recommended activities presented in Chapters 11 through 13 for pertinent individual special events. The table facilitates fast access to handbook sections providing detailed guidance, including recommended strategies, protocol, and resource applications, required by users to plan and execute these activities.

Table 14-4. Checklist of Implementation and Day-of-Event Activities for Regional/Multi-Venue Events

Handboook Page	Action	Applies
8-2	Develop an implementation plan.
8-6	Conduct a stakeholder simulation exercise(s).
8-8	Test equipment resources slated for use on the day-of-event.
8-9	Recruit and train volunteers to fulfill personnel resource needs.
9-2	Implement a traffic management team management process.
9-4	Designate a multi-agency command post.
9-6	Conduct a traffic management plan evaluation(s) during the day-of-event.
9-6	Establish protocol for traffic management team officials to consider and implement changes to the traffic management plan to accommodate real-time traffic conditions.
9-8	Establish interagency communication protocol.
9-9	Review communication equipment compatibility.
9-10	Use the media to communicate with event patrons and other transportation users.
9-12	Perform traffic monitoring on the day-of-event.

Some distinguishing considerations of this event category during the day-of-event activities phase include:

• The scope of regional/multi-venue events demand a significant level of personnel resources. Supplementing traffic management team personnel with temporary staff and volunteers may represent a necessary action to meet staffing requirements for all concurrent special events. Many volunteers have no past experience in tasks associated with traffic and pedestrian control and parking operations. As a result, volunteer training becomes paramount to the success of day-of-event operations. Chapter 8 contains checklists and relevant considerations for assessing personnel resource needs and using volunteers on the day-of-event. The chapter also specifies volunteer training activities and summarizes basic functions required of all volunteers.
• Multi-venue events may strain available stakeholder resources needed to manage travel in the vicinity of a particular event venue; therefore, traffic management team officials should reconfirm the availability of necessary traffic control and communications equipment prior to the day-of-event.
• To ensure successful traffic management plan deployment and coordination across all venue locations, the traffic management team(s) must establish an interagency communication structure and protocol to support regional/multi-venue event operations on the day-of-event.
• Other essential team management considerations involve the set up of a command post, most likely at a regional transportation management center, for monitoring and managing all venue events.
• Traffic management team officials should anticipate enacting modifications to the traffic management plan(s) during the regional/multi-venue event.
• Surveillance information and performance evaluation data define transportation operation conditions and, thus, influence decision-making at a day-of-event briefing.
• Day-of-event briefings should occur at key breakpoints, such as at the end of ingress/egress operations for a particular venue event, during a regional/multi-venue event. This allows traffic management team officials to reassess the traffic management and implementation plan for all concurrent events and make revisions as necessary.

Post-Event Activities  

Table 14-5 presents a checklist of post-event activities for regional/multi-venue events. The post-event activities section of this handbook provides detailed information on common techniques, special considerations, and recommended protocol that facilitate the activities listed in the table.

Table 14-5. Checklist of Post-Event Activities for Regional/Multi-Venue Events

Handbook Page	Action	Applies
10-2	Review measures of effectiveness identified in event operations planning phase.
10-3	Compile agency measures of effectiveness.
9-14	Compile performance evaluation data.
10-5	Conduct stakeholder participant debriefing.
10-6	Conduct event patron survey.
10-7	Conduct public survey.
10-7	Conduct a post-event debriefing meeting.
10-10	Prepare a post-event report.

Some distinguishing considerations of this event category during the post-event activities phase include:

• With regard to regional/multi-venue events consisting of individual non-related venue events occurring at or near the same time, stakeholders may conduct post-event activities specific to individual events.
• Practitioners should reference the post-event activities guidelines and considerations contained in Chapters 11 through 13, as appropriate, for individual venue events comprising the regional/multi-venue event.
• Post-event debriefings represent a common and recommended stakeholder activity for all regional/multi-venue events.
  • On a regional level, such meetings may coincide with a regular traffic incident management team meeting.
  • The meeting agenda should include discussion topics on the planning process, interagency communication, and coordination of travel management activities among individual venue events on the day-of-event.
  • A key aspect of a post-event debriefing for regional/multi-venue events involves preparing detailed meeting minutes that include the identification of key successes and lessons learned.
  • Considering the potential significant time between regional/multi-venue events, stakeholders must chronicle debriefing meetings so that those stakeholders charged with managing travel for future events can tap the wisdom of past participants.
• The occurrence of a major, single-theme regional/multi-venue event warrants participant evaluations and the development of a post-event report. Given the infrequent occurrence of this event type, post-event activity results represent a key resource in planning for the next event occurrence either in the host region or another locale (e.g., for roving regional/multi-venue events).

Program Planning  

Program planning activities involve the development of policies, programs, and initiatives that facilitate improved planning and management of travel for future planned special events.

Program planning for regional/multi-venue events include activities, as summarized in Table 14-6, aimed at facilitating interagency coordination both during the event operations planning phase and on the day-of-event when concurrent venue events take place. Practitioners should reference program planning activities contained in Chapters 11 through 13, as appropriate, for individual venue events comprising the regional/multi-venue event. These handbook chapters also describe and recommend various considerations concerning policies, regulations, and infrastructure deployment potentially applicable to recurring, single-theme regional/multi-venue events.

Some distinguishing considerations of this event category during the program planning phase include:

• A regional transportation committee on planned special events considers the planning and resource requirements of regional/multi-venue events in connection with managing all planned special events in a region. A primary committee focus concerns facilitating interagency coordination and collaboration. For instance, the committee may form a task force if stakeholders expect that multiple venue events will impact the same traffic flow routes and/or parking areas over the same time frame, thus requiring planning and operation as a regional/multi-venue event.
• Two or more stakeholders, representing multiple jurisdictions and/or disciplines, may establish a joint operations policy to ensure a cooperative effort in managing travel for all planned special events in a region.
• Stakeholders may develop a mutual-aid agreement to facilitate resource sharing and/or reimbursement for services in order to handle future planned special events, particularly events under this category.
• A planned special event permit program proves particularly effective for regional/multi-venue events that, because of such characteristics as event attendance, event times of occurrence, and event locations may (1) conflict with municipal or state guidelines and regulations and (2) impact transportation operations and the community. For instance, permit regulations may restrict the approval of a particular planned special event if it conflicts with another planned special event. A section on program planning for local planned special events in Chapter 4 provides complete and in-depth coverage on developing a permit program applicable to regional/multi-venue events and other planned special event categories, notably continuous events and street use events.
• Funding represents a key public agency consideration for regional/multi-venue events in the program planning phase.
  • Commercial events may involve event organizers and participants from outside the community hosting the event.
  • Prior to initiating event operations planning activities for a specific regional/multi-venue event, stakeholders should establish a funding mechanism for recovering costs incurred in providing services during the event operations planning phase and resources on the day-of-event.
  • Funding often represents a requirement of a comprehensive planned special event permit program.