CHAPTER FIFTEEN 15

RURAL EVENT

OVERVIEW
ADVANCE PLANNING
DAY-OF-EVENT ACTIVITIES
Figure 15-1
Rural Event: U.S. Open Championship in Southampton, NY

PURPOSE manage travel for a planned special event,

POST-EVENT ACTIVITIES
this chapter provides a roadmap to help
guide the user through all five phases of
In order to assist the user in planning for a
managing travel for planned special events,
particular planned special event, this chapter
identifying issues, analysis, and products
describes an advance planning and travel
applicable to rural events. To further guide
management process and considerations
readers, this chapter specifies references to
specific to a rural event. It summarizes rec-
best practices relating to this event category.
ommended policies, guidelines, procedures,
and resource applications that were previ-
ously discussed in the first ten chapters of INTRODUCTION
EVENT PROFILE

this technical reference. This chapter pre-

sents these guidelines and procedures in ta- In order to guide the user, this chapter ad-
bles, flowcharts, and checklists that can be dresses four key topics, corresponding to
followed to help guide the user through all five phases of managing travel for planned
the stages of a planned special event of this special events, including: (1) event opera-
category for a particular locale. Although tions planning, (2) implementation and day-
Chapter 3 presents all the steps necessary to of-event activities, (3) post-event activities,

15-1
and (4) program planning. In planning for In light of the characteristics of a rural
all planned special events in a region, the event, special considerations when planning
final section on program planning highlights such an event include:
issues to consider that evolve from and/or • Need for stakeholders to assume new
pertain to rural events. By following each and/or expanded roles.
one of the steps and procedures, the user • Need to work closely with all affected
will have identified and covered all the sig- stakeholders in order: (1) to gain their
nificant aspects that are necessary to result help in identifying concerns and (2) to
in successful management of travel for a introduce them to mitigation measures
planned special event with characteristics that they may be unfamiliar with due to
specific to a rural event. the rural nature of the area.
• Need to work closely with involved
A rural event encompasses any dis- stakeholders so that a trust relationship is
crete/recurring event or continuous event established, thus lessening sensitive feel-
that occurs in a rural area. Table 15-1 indi- ings of an outsider coming in and impos-
cates different types of planned special ing initiatives that could overlook the
events classified as a rural event. Rural significance of local issues.
events collectively have the event operation • Existence of limited road capacity to ac-
characteristics of discrete/recurring events at cess the event venue and potentially lim-
a permanent venue and continuous events ited parking capacity at the venue.
with one notable exception; rural events take • Existence of fewer alternate routes to
place in rural areas. Table 15-2 lists key accommodate event and background
characteristics of a rural event. traffic.
Table 15-1 • Lack of regular transit service and hotels
Types of Rural Events near the venue.
EVENT TYPE • Existence of limited or no permanent
• Fairs and festivals in rural areas infrastructure for monitoring and manag-
• Events at a rural amphitheater ing traffic.
• Events at a rural race track venue
• Generation of trips from a multi-county
• Professional golf tournaments in rural areas
region.
Table 15-2
Distinguishing Operating Characteristics of EVENT OPERATIONS
a Rural Event PLANNING
CHARACTERISTIC
• Rural or rural/tourist area
• High attendance events attracting event pa- The scope and infrequent/one-time occur-
trons from a regional area rence of a high-attendance rural event, cou-
• Limited roadway capacity serving an event pled with the typical limited capacity of
venue transportation systems in rural areas, re-
• Area lacking regular transit service
quires the event planning team to develop:
• Events having either a time specific duration
or continuous duration (1) a feasibility study, (2) a traffic manage-
ment plan, and (3) travel demand manage-
ment initiatives (as necessary) in the event
Special Considerations operations planning phase. The stakeholder
composition of an event planning team var-

15-2
ies by event, as some rural events represent event planning team can modify activities to
community or not-for-profit events while create a dynamic and more effective plan-
others involve commercial dealings. In re- ning process tailored to the scope of a spe- 15

gard to a community-sponsored special cific planned special event:

event, transportation and/or law enforcement
agencies usually bear the responsibility of • A jurisdiction planned special event

OVERVIEW
developing all of the necessary event plan- permit process and requirements will
ning phase products. Recurring rural events, scope, schedule, and direct event opera-
such as an annual festival or auto race, per- tions planning activities for rural events,
mit stakeholders to reference a past feasibil- particularly continuous events occurring
ity study and traffic management plan, cou- in rural areas.
pled with operations successes and lessons • Based on lessons learned from past spe-
learned, when conducting advance planning cial events at a particular permanent

ADVANCE PLANNING
activities for a future event. However, due venue, stakeholders may program new
to the significant time between recurring ru- infrastructure or adopt new policies (e.g.,
ral events, the event planning team must an- parking restrictions) early in the event
ticipate (1) changes in the operations charac- operations planning process.
teristics of a future event, (2) modifications • Links between process steps are two-
to the transportation system serving the way as stakeholders evaluate alternative
event, and (3) changes in the community strategies and/or integrate traffic man-

DAY-OF-EVENT ACTIVITIES
(e.g., land use, socioeconomic, regulations, agement plan components.
etc.). • The event planning team can develop
different traffic management plan com-
Figure 15-2 presents 31 steps in the event ponents concurrently.
operations planning process for all planned
special events. The flowchart covers devel- The event operations planning process refer-
opment and integration of the phase’s ences information and concepts contained in
aforementioned three products. Table 15-3 the advance planning section of this hand-
complements the flowchart by providing book, and it directs the user to recommended

POST-EVENT ACTIVITIES
step-by-step guidance on issues and recom- guidelines, procedures, strategies, and re-
mended analyses for a rural event. The table source applications for managing travel for a
also presents reference information con- specific planned special event. When fol-
tained in this handbook that is specific to lowing the process, practitioners should re-
rural events. While all of the major hand- view:
book topics under event operations planning
apply to a rural event, Table 15-3 indicates • Advance planning and travel manage-
agency example applications (e.g., via narra- ment process and considerations pro-
tives or photos) within the context of this vided in Chapters 11 and 12 depending
event category. In turn, practitioners can on the type of rural event.
EVENT PROFILE

use example applications presented for a ru- • Important advance planning considera-
ral event to manage travel for other catego- tions and external factors, summarized in
ries of planned special events. Chapter 5, that influence planning activi-
ties. For instance, effective and rapid
The flowchart in Figure 15-2 represents a stakeholder review of event operations
suggested order of event operations planning planning products requires: (1) an
activities. However, as noted below, the

15-3
 Initiate Feasibility Study

26 1
2
TDM and Modal
Transit Service
Transit Service Split

3
Event
Traffic Generation

27 4
Event Patron Traffic Arrival and
Incentives Departure Rate

5
Market Area
Analysis

6 9
Parking Demand Shuttle Bus
Analysis Service

7 10
Traffic Demand Lot
Analysis Assignment

8 20
Roadway Capacity Vehicle Access
13 Analysis and Circulation
Alternate
Routes
11 14 12 21
Corridor Traffic Emergency Local Traffic Parking Area Design
Flow Routes Access Routes Flow Routes and Operation
15
Background Traffic
Accommodation 16 22
Transit Parking Occupancy
Accommodation Monitoring

17 18 19 23 24
Freeway Street Intersection Pedestrian Disabled
Traffic Control Traffic Control Traffic Control Control Accessibility

25
Analysis and
Modeling

28
Traffic Incident
Management

KEY: 29
Traffic Planning En-Route
Traveler Information
Parking Planning
30
Traffic
Transit Planning Surveillance

31
Pre-Trip
Traveler Information

Advance to Implementation Activities

Figure 15-2
Event Operations Planning Process Flowchart

15-4
 Table 15-3
Event Operations Planning Steps
Rural Event 15
STEP EVENT-SPECIFIC REFERENCE INFORMATION
EVENT-SPECIFIC ISSUES
NO. PAGE TOPIC PAGE
• Example: Commuter rail service as alternative
1 5-20 • Consideration of 100% automobile trips. 5-20
mode of travel; Figure 5-6.

OVERVIEW
• Public transit not existing or serving area
2 7-9
surrounding the venue location.
• Influence of seasonal population on atten-
3 5-21
dance.
4 5-22
• Larger market area for high attendance events.
5 5-25
• Origins of area visitors attending the event.
• Use of off-site parking areas.
6 5-27
• Likely use of unpaved parking areas.
7 5-29

ADVANCE PLANNING
• Detailed analysis of roadways providing ac-
8 5-30
cess to event venue and parking areas.
• Example: On-site shuttle bus station; Figure 6-
9 6-32 6-35
28.
• Low capacity local traffic flow routes serving
10 6-13
multiple parking areas.
11 6-38
12 6-38
13 6-40
14 6-41
• Impact of high attendance events on back-

DAY-OF-EVENT ACTIVITIES
15 6-43
ground traffic flow.
16 6-45 • Example: Exclusive bus route; Figure 6-36. 6-46
• Special consideration: Alternative lane opera-
6-54
tions for freeways.
• Example: Portable changeable message sign;
17 6-49 6-50
Figure 6-38.
• Example: Appendix K – Equipment location
6-59
plan.
• Example: Temporary reversible lane opera-
6-1
tion; Figure 6-1.
• Example: Route marker signs; Figures 6-46 6-55 and
18 6-51
and 6-47. 6-56

POST-EVENT ACTIVITIES
• Example: Appendix K – Equipment location
6-59
plan.
• Example: Positive traffic control; Figure 6-54. 6-58
19 6-57 • Example: Appendix K – Equipment location
6-59
plan.
• Presence of few roadways providing access to • Example: Roadway shoulder utilization; Fig-
6-18
venues and adjacent parking areas. ure 6-9.
• Consideration of strategies to increase the • Example: Strategy for effecting parking area
6-20
20 6-16 capacity of site access roads and parking area egress.
access points. • Example: Striping additional exit lanes on
• Potential for event patrons to park illegally on parking area access roads for egress; Figure 6- 6-20
site access road shoulders. 11.
• Example: Minimizing pedestrian/vehicular
21 6-20 • Likely use of unpaved parking areas. 6-23
conflicts in parking areas; Figure 6-14.
EVENT PROFILE

22 6-23
• Likely lack of sufficient existing pedestrian • Example: Temporary pedestrian bridge; Figure
facilities within area surrounding the event 6-23.
23 6-28 6-31
site.
• Emphasis on pedestrian safety.
24 6-32 • Strong consideration for temporary venues.
• Consideration of detailed analysis (e.g., table-
25 6-9 top exercises) and modeling for high atten-
dance events.

15-5
 STEP EVENT-SPECIFIC REFERENCE INFORMATION
EVENT-SPECIFIC ISSUES
NO. PAGE TOPIC PAGE
• High applicability of high occupancy vehicle
7-2 to
26 incentives, local travel demand management,
7-14
and charter bus service to this event category.
27 7-6
• Roadway network serving the event likely not • Example: Portable lighting; Figure 6-58. 6-73
lighted.
28 6-72 • Example: Congestion warning sign; Figure 6-
• Consideration of quick clearance initiatives to 6-73
59.
avoid breakdown of critical traffic flow routes.
• Emphasis on portable roadside traveler infor-
29 6-61
mation devices.
• Emphasis on portable closed-circuit television,
30 6-70
field observation, and/or aerial observation.
• Communication to a regional audience.
• Event patrons likely unfamiliar with roadways
31 7-14
and the transportation system serving the
event.

annotated planning timeline, (2) a review Because particular rural event types occur
process, and (3) performance standards. infrequently, stakeholder simulation exer-
Under risk assessment, scenarios relating cises prove valuable in assisting traffic man-
to excessive overcrowding may warrant agement team personnel understand the
consideration if planning for a sporting roles and responsibilities of participating
or concert event. stakeholders in addition to the actions taken
• Traffic management plan components in on the day-of-event. Exercises must involve
Chapter 6 that provide an overview of field staff, some of whom represent person-
various principles driving plan develop- nel obtained temporarily from other regions
ment in addition to a contingency plan for the purpose of increasing local stake-
checklist. holder (e.g., state police, etc.) staff for an
event. Temporary staff, although possibly
experienced in traffic control, usually do not
IMPLEMENTATION AND have familiarity with the local transportation
DAY-OF-EVENT system or roadways in the vicinity of the
venue site. Equipment testing marks an-
ACTIVITIES other key consideration as day-of-event op-
erations at and in the vicinity of the event
Implementation activities represent an site usually depend on portable equipment
essential phase in advance planning for rural for traffic control, surveillance, and dis-
events. The traffic management team may semination of en-route traveler information.
involve new interagency relationships, and it These intensive stakeholder activities reflect
requires an event-specific implementation the typical unfamiliarity with managing
plan to communicate specifics of the new travel for a rural event coupled with the fact
traffic management plan prepared by the that transportation management activities,
event planning team. Stakeholder develop- on the order required for a planned special
ment of implementation plan details for an event, may not regularly take place in the
event at a permanent venue focuses on vicinity of the event site.
transportation operation successes and les-
sons learned for previous, similar events at Table 15-4 presents a checklist of imple-
the subject venue.
mentation and day-of-event activities for

15-6
 Table 15-4
Checklist of Implementation and Day-of-Event Activities for Rural Events
HANDBOOK APPLIES 15
ACTION
PAGE
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.

OVERVIEW
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.
• Establish protocol for traffic management team officials to consider and im-
9-6 plement changes to the traffic management plan to accommodate real-time
traffic conditions.
•

ADVANCE PLANNING
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.

DAY-OF-EVENT ACTIVITIES
stakeholders to consider regarding any rural • The scope of high-attendance rural
event. As indicated in the table, the event events demand personnel resources that
planning team must determine, based on may exceed the level of available staff
various event operations characteristics from local event stakeholders. Supple-
(e.g., event type, event location, event time menting traffic management team per-
of occurrence, attendance, market area, etc.) sonnel with temporary staff and volun-
and other external factors, what unique set teers may represent a necessary action to
of activities apply in handling a specific meet staffing requirements for rural spe-

POST-EVENT ACTIVITIES
special event. In addition, stakeholders cial events. Many volunteers have no
should review the special considerations and past experience in tasks associated with
recommended activities presented in Chap- traffic and pedestrian control and park-
ters 11 and 12 for discrete/recurring events ing operations. As a result, volunteer
at a permanent venue and continuous events, training becomes paramount to the suc-
respectively, as appropriate based on the cess of day-of-event operations. Chapter
type of rural event. The table facilitates fast 8 contains checklists and relevant con-
access to handbook sections providing de- siderations for assessing personnel re-
tailed guidance, including recommended source needs and using volunteers on the
strategies, protocol, and resource applica- day-of-event. The chapter also specifies
EVENT PROFILE

tions, required by users to plan and execute volunteer training activities and summa-
these activities. rizes basic functions required of all vol-
unteers.
Some distinguishing considerations of this • The traffic management team likely in-
event category during the day-of-event ac- cludes stakeholder representatives in-
tivities phase include: volved in managing travel for a particu-
lar rural event type for the first time. To

15-7
 ensure successful traffic management holders can archive raw data for use in
plan deployment, the traffic management future feasibility studies, and various
team must adopt a formal management evaluation measures can identify specific
process and establish an interagency areas that require improvement for fu-
communication structure and protocol to ture, similar events.
support day-of-event operations. • The traffic management team must exer-
• Other essential team management con- cise great care in collecting performance
siderations involve (1) the designation of evaluation data in order to ensure data
an Incident Commander for the planned quality and consistency.
special event and (2) the set up of a tem-
porary, multi-agency command post at POST-EVENT
or near the event venue.
• Traffic management team officials ACTIVITIES
should anticipate enacting modifications
to the traffic management plan during All of the primary products of this phase
the rural event. (e.g., participant evaluation, post-event de-
• Surveillance information and perform- briefing, and post-event report) have a high
ance evaluation data define transporta- level of applicability to rural events. Given
tion operation conditions and, thus, in- the infrequent occurrence of rural events
fluence decision-making at a day-of- coupled with the scarcity of travel forecast
event briefing. Given the typical lack of data, post-event activity results represent a
transportation management centers in ru- key resource in planning for future rural
ral areas, transportation system operators events in a region.
usually monitor system operations from
the event command post using portable Table 15-5 presents a checklist of post-event
equipment (e.g., laptop computers, de- activities for rural events. The post-event
vices using radio/cellular/spread spec- activities section of this handbook provides
trum radio communication, etc.). detailed information on common techniques,
• The collection and evaluation of trans- special considerations, and recommended
portation system performance data protocol that facilitate the activities listed in
proves valuable in guiding decision- the table.
making not only on the day-of-event but
also for recurring rural events. Stake-

Table 15-5
Checklist of Post-Event Activities for Rural Events
HANDBOOK APPLIES
ACTION
PAGE
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.

15-8
Some distinguishing considerations of this preparing detailed meeting minutes
event category during the post-event activi- that include the identification of key 15

ties phase include: successes and lessons learned.

o Considering the potential significant
• Practitioners should reference the post- time between rural events, stake-

OVERVIEW
event activities guidelines and considera- holders must chronicle participant
tions contained in Chapters 11 and 12, as survey results and debriefing meet-
appropriate, based on the type of rural ings so that those stakeholders
event. charged with managing travel for fu-
• In regard to participant evaluation, rural ture rural events can tap the wisdom
event patron travel surveys yield impor- of past participants.
tant information and statistics that can • The occurrence of a major, recurring ru-

ADVANCE PLANNING
assist practitioners in (1) improving the ral event warrants development of a
accuracy of future rural event travel post-event report. In turn, the report can
forecasts and (2) developing travel de- serve as a working document to assist in
mand management incentives (e.g., ex- advance planning for the next (year’s)
press/charter bus services, event patron event.
incentives) for the market area served by • A post-event report for a recurring rural
rural events. event should include an operational cost
• analysis to assist stakeholders in identi-

DAY-OF-EVENT ACTIVITIES
Periodic public surveys warrant consid-
eration for special events under this fying potential cost-saving resource de-
category as event performance evalua- ployment strategies for the next event
tion data fails to assess all community occurrence.
impacts. Survey results alert special
event stakeholders of impacts to affected
residents and businesses, in addition to
PROGRAM PLANNING
non-attendee transportation system us-
ers, that may continue to occur with each
Program planning activities involve the de-

POST-EVENT ACTIVITIES
successive special event at a particular
velopment of policies, programs, and initia-
venue location. As a result, stakeholders
tives that facilitate improved planning and
can develop and implement appropriate
management of travel for future planned
strategies (e.g., enforcement, etc.) and
special events.
regulations to mitigate the identified im-
pact(s) for future planned special events.
Program planning for rural events include
• Post-event debriefings represent a com- activities, as summarized in Table 15-6, on
mon and recommended stakeholder ac- both a regional and local level. Practitioners
tivity for all rural events. should reference program planning activities
o Written comments should be ob-
EVENT PROFILE

contained in Chapters 11 and 12, as appro-

tained from temporary, borrowed priate, depending on the type of rural event.
staff used on the day-of-event if staff
can not participate in a debriefing Some distinguishing considerations of this
meeting. event category during the program planning
o A key aspect of a post-event phase include:
debriefing for rural events involves

15-9
 Table 15-6
Program Planning Activities for Rural Events
PAGE
PRODUCT TOPIC
NO.
Institutional • Development of a formal planned special event permit program. 4-10
frameworks • Creation of a transportation operations task force for a recurring rural event or
5-3
specific permanent venue.
• Development of a joint operations policy. 5-15
• Development of a mutual-aid agreement to facilitate resource sharing. 5-15
Policies and • Traffic and parking restrictions. 5-10
regulations • Public-private towing agreements. 5-16
• Public information safety campaign. 6-73
• High occupancy vehicle incentives. 7-3
Infrastructure • Planned alternate route for diverting background traffic around a venue. 6-40
deployment • Portable traffic management system. 6-56
• Express, charter, or shuttle bus service. 6-32
7-11
7-12
• Telephone information systems. 7-17

• The fixed location of planned special state guidelines and regulations and (2)
event venues (e.g., fairgrounds, amphi- impact transportation operations and the
theaters, golf courses, and race tracks) in community. The program specifies a
rural areas allow for the easy identifica- permit process, coupled with supporting
tion of stakeholder representatives in- restrictions and requirements, that allow
volved in planning and day-of-event stakeholders to plan and assess all types
travel management for high-attendance of rural events within a common frame-
special events at these venues. These work. A section on program planning
representatives may collaborate year- for local planned special events in Chap-
round as an inter-jurisdictional, multi- ter 4 provides complete and in-depth
discipline task force, working to: (1) coverage on developing a permit pro-
strengthen interagency coordination for gram applicable to rural events.
future special events, (2) identify needs • Two or more stakeholders, representing
relative to minimizing community im- multiple jurisdictions and/or disciplines,
pacts and improving transportation sys- may establish a joint operations policy
tem operations during venue events. for managing travel for all planned spe-
The latter involves proposing new poli- cial events in a region.
cies, regulations, and infrastructure de- • Stakeholders may develop a mutual-aid
ployments to support future event- agreement to facilitate resource sharing
specific traffic management plans and (e.g., personnel or equipment) and/or re-
travel demand management initiatives. imbursement for services in order to
• A planned special event permit program handle future planned special events.
proves particularly effective for rural • Because rural events usually occur in-
events that, because of such characteris- frequently and occasionally at temporary
tics as event attendance and event loca- venues, an infrastructure needs assess-
tion, may (1) conflict with municipal or ment on the program planning level

15-10
 should focus on equipment and technol-
ogy applications transferable to manag-
ing all planned special events in a region 15

and/or day-to-day transportation system

operations.
• Funding represents a key public agency

OVERVIEW
consideration for rural events in the pro-
gram planning phase.
o Commercial events may involve
event organizers and participants
from outside the community hosting
the event.
o Prior to initiating event operations

ADVANCE PLANNING
planning activities for a specific rural
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.
o Funding often represents a require-

DAY-OF-EVENT ACTIVITIES
ment of a comprehensive planned
special event permit program.

POST-EVENT ACTIVITIES
EVENT PROFILE

15-11
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15-12