One of the reasons I stayed away from last night's fireworks was because I thought the traffic would be a nightmare.
Here's some unexpected news for the thousands who endured the postfireworks traffic jam Wednesday night in Champaign:
It really wasn't as bad as you thought.
At least that's the perception of police agencies that coordinated traffic flow after the 9:15 p.m. fireworks show, which ended about 9:45 p.m.
Champaign police Sgt. Scott Friedlein said officers were released from duty about the same time as previous years – around 11 p.m. – when the show was held just outside Memorial Stadium.
"In terms of dealing with traffic, it really wasn't that much different from past years," Friedlein said this morning.
Public perception, he acknowledged, is something else.
I'm sure that next year won't be as bad, with Bradly no longer under construction and another year of planning under their belts.
I wonder how the crowd was this year, compared to previous years at the Stadium?
What, no praise of Libby's commutation, which leaves 5th amendment protection in olace? Pardon doesnt, opening him to congressional testimony under oath.
Walt, Beecher
Walt,
That would have been a more appropriate comment in an Open Thread - perhaps even the Open Thread which already contains dozens of Libby-related comments.
Thanks.
At 8:45pm, northbound Duncan was bumper to bumper all the way south to the intersection of Kirby Avenue... and was not making much progress at all.
Naaahhhh... it wasn't as bad as I thought. Bumper to bumper traffic extending for a mile and a half from the entrance to Parkland College Not bad at all.
Apparently, Sgt. Friedlein wasn't in this area of town...
I parked at an apartment complex on Springfield and walked around Kauffman Lake and under the interstate to Kauffman Park. I had a great view over the lake and there weren't that many people in the area. It just required walking a little which I realize isn't an option for some parents with little ones but if you are able that was a great place that translated into easy out! You just have to walk a little!
I'm used to walking down to the fireworks... Parkland's not really within walking distance though so I drove this year. Is this what driving to the fireworks is normally like? That was awful. I didn't mind it too much. Had good company and a Johnny Cash CD to get me through it, but it was a big ol' mess otherwise. Perhaps there was really no better way of going about it, but I'll be glad when it's back to walking distance.
--
Glock21 Op/Ed
"Perhaps there was really no better way of going about it, but I'll be glad when it's back to walking distance."
It was within walking distance to an entirely new group of people in this town. It was nice not to have to drive all the way down to campus.
One of the biggest outdoor spectator events, other than a home Illini football game and the MTD decides to take the day off! The way the Cities of Champaign and Urbana embrace the MTD why no shuttle service on the 4th.??? overtime?? double time??? The MTD sucks money from the citizens but can't provide transportation to the fireworks!! I understand a private carrier was used to bring people to Parkland for the show. What do you think that cost??? Most large cities put on extra buses for events like this, The City of Chicago is a good example, The Taste of Chicago, even extra buses were used for the fireworks in Chicago last night. Also the Uof I has probably seen the last of the fireworks from what I'm hearing on the local news.
I used to live over in the Country Fair Apts., so I had a spot already staked out. We arrived around 8:40 and got my spot three arterials away. If we had been about 15 minutes later, I wouldn't have been so lucky. Saw the fireworks fine. Got home in 10 minutes.
A friend who paid to get into the Parkland lot said it took her an hour to get home and she lives at Maynard Lake. She went Duncan to Bradley to Staley to Kirby.
nothing that a 300bazillion dollar tram wouldn't fix. wait, chicago uses buses to transport people from grant park to wherever - not trams. and they have a helluva lot more people leaving chicago fireworks. i guess we don't need a scam ur uh i mean tram after all.