Sparta, KY. (WDRB) -- Race fans who had the need for speed hit roadblocks instead, while trying to get to the Kentucky Speedway last year.
The problem was that there were too many people, and not enough parking. It kept some fans from ever getting to the race. Now speedway officials vow it won't happen again.
Race day is always a busy day in Sparta, both on the track and in both directions on Interstate 71. "You go out there right now and it's busy. [Interstate] 71 is very busy; it should have been reconstructed 20 years ago probably," says Bruton Smith, the owner of the Kentucky Speedway.
Smith wants to make it easier for race fans coming to this year's NASCAR Sprint Cup "Quaker State 400" race. "We want to be sure to do everything possible to serve these race fans."
Last summer, there was gridlock and chaos as thousands of race fans made their way to the track on race day. "I can assure you that the traffic problem is going to be alleviated."
Smith has hired a company to do just that. Tom Creasey is the Transportation Planning manager with Stantec. He says, "Our specific area has been developing the traffic models to help develop this plan."
Stantec is a nationally-recognized transportation planning team. The company is using a simulated system which models driver behavior to help fix the problem.
"So that we can simulate pre-race inbound and post-race out conditions based on the different conditions that we quantify," says Creasey.
And in addition to the simulated system, more lanes and parking are being added.
"I think more people probably showed up than were expected, and there just wasn't enough parking at the time," says Kentucky State Police Captain Dean Hayes.
Kentucky State Police will once again have extra manpower for the next event, but say the new plan will help.
"The Speedway and Kentucky Transportation Cabinet have made improvements that I believe this year will be very different."
The new traffic plan will be ready to go by June, just in time for the first big race of the season.
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