Sunday, July 21, 2002
Your take on Speedway: Fantastic, flawed
Traffic is better, but some still having problems
Last week, we asked for your Kentucky Speedway traffic stories and any other thoughts about the track. A summary of e-mails:
• Some of you still think postrace traffic moves too slowly around the speedway. But some say it has gotten better since the track opened in June 2000.
• The races themselves get a thumbs-up, with every grandstand seat affording a view of the entire track.
• The lines for concessions and restrooms tend to vary, but there is widespread agreement on two items: 1) Concession prices are too high; 2) More portable toilets are needed. And more lighting, please, in the parking lots.
Some e-mails:
• Larry Lovensheimer, Chillicothe: “This (July 13 truck race) was my first NASCAR event. I loved it. There were no problems accessing food, drinks or bathrooms. Afterward, I had no problem getting out. I've been in worse traffic jams trying to leave a hockey game in downtown Columbus.”
• Kim Gillespie, Florence: “Until Kentucky Speedway can get a grip on the parking problem and the flow of traffic, I don't feel NASCAR will bring Winston Cup to Kentucky. It's really a shame, because it's a great track.
“I know there are other issues that NASCAR looks at to bring Winston Cup to a track, but this parking issue is absolutely ridiculous! My husband and I have been to Charlotte, Atlanta, Bristol, etc., and never incurred the problem with parking and traffic flow like we have at Kentucky.”
• Jeremy Kleier: “The new (I-71) interchange and other roads have improved traffic flow on the main roads, but just getting out of the grass parking lot area takes forever. Anyway, I will be back, as it is a beautiful facility.”
• Terry Littner, Loveland: “My major complaint is the lack of marking in the parking lot. We had to park on the hillside and had a terrible time locating our car. Things look a lot different at 2 in the afternoon than they do at 10p.m.”
• Susan Henry says that at last month's Busch race she had to park a mile from the track despite arriving three hours beforehand, waited a half-hour to get in at the gate, then got stuck in mud afterward. A summary:
“Let me just say how beautiful I have found Kentucky Speedway to be. Other than that, I have found nothing else appealing about this track. I would rather drive five hours to Bristol or Michigan than put up with this type of ineptitude again.”
• Brian Heckman, Goshen: “The traffic situation at Kentucky Speedway is no worse than any concert or sporting event in any city. I've been to races in Indianapolis and Charlotte, and it is much better than both of these longtime racing "meccas.'”
• Jack Kreimer, Aurora, Ind.: “All of the amenities of the speedway are awesome. Parking has improved greatly; traffic control on arriving is very organized.
“The only area that needs to be looked at immediately is traffic control at the conclusion of each event. It has actually gotten worse. Even if you lived in Vevay or Aurora and wanted to use U.S. 35 down to Warsaw (and Route 42), the police were sending everyone to the expressway. There is a totally empty road one way, and a traffic nightmare (four lanes wide) the other way.”
Why? For that and other answers, we talked with Kentucky Speedway general manager Mark Cassis:
“We have made many improvements since June 2000. We have hired a traffic consulting company (American Engineering) and a new parking service (Brantley Services). We have received many compliments this year regarding our new interchange, exit patterns and staff. It's a work in progress and not an area we take lightly.
“As to the Route 42 exit: All persons parking to the left of Entrance 7 are routed out the back (to the new interchange), thus cannot go out Entrance 3 to Route 35 to Route 42. However, when exiting toward Exit 55, those fans can take Route 1130 to Route 42. It's really not much of a difference and probably faster.”
E-mail tgroeschen@enquirer.com
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Your take on Speedway: Fantastic, flawed
