Traffic in and out of Miller Park

[Invader3K]

I was going to post about this in the IGT, but found it has been locked.

Did anyone else experience an extremely long wait getting in and out of the parking lots last night? Going to the game, my dad and I left Fort at 5 PM. We reached the section of the interstate where you're supposed to be able to merge into Mitchell Blvd to reach the stadium, thinking we'd get there with plenty of time to spare before first pitch. We seriously sat in that lane about 45 minutes, barely moving at all. Parking lot was already packed by the time we got in. I understand that this was a sold out game, but this slow move of traffic to get in seemed extremely abnormal. I've been to sell outs before where it was never this bad. I noticed the parking attendants seemed to be having some issues maneuvering traffic, and I don't know if this contributed or not. The guy positioned at the barricades seemed to have an attitude when we tried to go forward, after the guy behind him was waving at us. Whatever, I know these people don't have easy jobs when it's this busy. Maybe these guys just weren't on the same page.

After the game, we figured we'd get out quickly, since we were parked towards the back of the preferred lot. Well, no such luck. We seriously sat still waiting "in line" to exit for over half an hour. The parking lot looked like a snarled mess, and I didn't see any police officers directing traffic in the lots, which probably didn't help. Once we started moving, it was slow going to get back on the interstate. It took us at least 45 minutes from the time we got in our car to the time we got back on the interstate.

Again, I've been to many sold out games, and it has never been this bad before. Anyone know what the deal was last night or experience anything similar?

[1992casey]

I was at a Cardinal game earlier in the year, and leaving was much harder than usual. There were lots of Illinois vehicles that weren't good at taking turns and letting others in. People generally do well with that.

 

That doesn't explain the mess before the game, though. It's too bad that you didn't realize what was happening soon enough to exit and find an alternate route.

[Patrick425]

For Friday nights Cubs/Brewers game we left Waukesha at about 5:15 and made it to our seats about 5 minutes before the first pitch at 7:10. We normally circle around the stadium and enter off of Miller Parkway. Generally this goes pretty smoothly. However the traffic was really backed up and hardly moving once we got on the ramp that goes from EI94 to S Miller Parkway. My thought was that it was due to the Chicago traffic coming from W94. It was one of the slowest experiences I ever had getting into preferred parking.

 

I didn't have any problem at all leaving. We always get up and stand behind our section after there is one out in the ninth and then pretty much run to our car after the last out of every game and usually are on the freeway within 10 minutes of the last out.

[fondybrewfan]

I heard that no buses were allowed in yesterday so there were lots and lots of extra car traffic. I believe they actually overflowed the preferred parking lot and people were parking on that street.

[1992casey]

Why wouldn't buses be allowed in?

[Patrick425]

1992casey[/b]]Why wouldn't buses be allowed in?

Yeah..that doesn't seem to make sense. Perhaps they just were not allowing buses to do the drop off and turn around. They added a "circular drive" down where you enter preferred parking off of Miller Parkway. During some games we have had to wait while limos, cabs, buses exit this area after dropping off people.

 

Parking preferred parking cars on the street that circles Miller Park is not unusual. We have had to do that once or twice. Depending on which way you are facing, it's not always a bad thing as it gives you a quick "get away" as you are leaving.

 

 

[TuesdaysWithRillo]

Preferred Parking is always a mess to get out of because the Miller Park interchange was the most poorly designed interchange in the history of engineering. It slows down traffic everyday after work and after games that area is a mess. That's why I stick with the General Admission lot and then take Canal St. to exit.

[chinabob99]

The easiest way to deal with all the traffic issues is to buy a house in Story Hill and walk to all the games or take one of the various bar shuttles. Works for me!

[fondybrewfan]

I had just heard the no buses thing from an usher inside the game. I don't know if the buses parking lot was being used or not. Maybe the usher was just fibbing me.

 

It was a heck of a lot harder getting into preferred parking last night than it was getting out.

[hawing]

The easiest way to deal with all the traffic issues is to buy a house in Story Hill and walk to all the games or take one of the various bar shuttles. Works for me!

So chinabob, can you alert us to when a Story Hill house is for sale? http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif I should put that in blue since it would be a heck of a commute to our Madison jobs, but there are times when being able to just walk from home and be home in less than two hours would be pretty sweet.

[owbc]

It seems like most of the crowd stuck around for the end of the game. In a normal year, people filter out starting in the 7th inning or so, leaving only about 50% of the crowd by the end. If 90% of the crowd sticks around for the finish, congestion is going to increase. Especially on a weeknight when less people come early to tailgate and less people stay late after the game in the lots.

[jeffy]

That it sometimes takes 45 minutes just to get out of the lot is one of the reasons we just park for free and walk about 20 minutes. We have also done the shuttle thing a couple times, when we thought we might get caught in a thunderstorm. We are not tailgators, so the parking lots hold no attraction.

 

We also don't take the freeway. We are about 20 miles away and by taking surface streets it is a reliable 40-45 minute drive each way with no traffic or parking lot hassles.

[brewers4eric]

I live 200 miles from Milwaukee, so I usually only make the trip to Miller Park a couple of times each season. The last game that I attended was Casey's three home run contest on August 3, and the westbound traffic getting out of the general parking was a nightmare. Does anyone have a secret route that would get me headed west after a game? Bear in mind that I am an Iowa country boy. During my 30 mile commute to work each morning, I meet the same three cars and my greatest worry is a deer collision.

[reillymcshane]

I do about 5-6 games a year (coming from Madison) and I've found this year's traffic to be the worse. It is especially a problem arriving at the game. Coming into Milwaukee on a sold out game adds an hour - at least - onto

the drive. It basically comes to a standstill around state fair park. Getting out has varied. I always do preferred parking, and it used to take me 10 minutes tops. Now it's 15-20 minutes. I wonder if they are selling more preferred parking than in the past. One time this year they just put us along the curb near the back.

 

I went to a sold out (or nearly sold out) game in July (vs Cubs) and from State Fair to the stadium it took more than an hour. I got in my seat at 7:45. Missed 2 full innings.

 

The last game I went to (sold out or nearly sold out game vs dodgers) the traffic was almost as bad. When it came to a standstill, we got off at 84 (the state fair exit) and cut over to Greenfield, and came into the stadium the back way. I missed about 5-10 minutes of the game. In retrospect, I should have gone all the way over to National. Greenfield is slow, and intersects with National anyhow. But it worked, so I was happy.

 

I think the weeknight games are really hard, because you have fewer tailgaters. More people are just getting off work and heading to the game. This means lots of people coming at the last minute.

 

Best advise is to leave earlier, be prepared to cut over to National if things go to a crawl. If you get in early, just enjoy the time in the park.

[berniebrewer4life]

Preferred Parking is always a mess to get out of because the Miller Park interchange was the most poorly designed interchange in the history of engineering. It slows down traffic everyday after work and after games that area is a mess. That's why I stick with the General Admission lot and then take Canal St. to exit.

Same. It's super fast and so few people use Canal.

[patrickgpe]

i was driving home at 650 last night and saw long lines coming into the stadium from miller park way and 94W. If you must park in the lots at this point, I would enter in at canal which decreases your waiting time by atleast half. I have been taking shuttles to the game and back. I live right by O'Briens, so we usually buy a beer in a plastic cup and take it on the bus. As long as you leave right after the game you usually will make the first or second one back to the bar.

[Patrick425]

brewers4eric[/b]]I live 200 miles from Milwaukee, so I usually only make the trip to Miller Park a couple of times each season. The last game that I attended was Casey's three home run contest on August 3, and the westbound traffic getting out of the general parking was a nightmare. Does anyone have a secret route that would get me headed west after a game? Bear in mind that I am an Iowa country boy. During my 30 mile commute to work each morning, I meet the same three cars and my greatest worry is a deer collision.

The only alternatives going West are basically Greenfield or Bluemound and those are not really great alternatives and you will have to get back on the freeway at some point anyways if you are going all the way back to IA. As I said in an earlier post, you can stay until the last out and still beat most of the crowd to your car (if you park in preferred). We stay until the last out for most games, we park in preferred, and have never had a problem or long wait getting out of the lot (we have a 20 game pack that consists mostly of Friday and Saturday night games).

 

 

[jeffy]

Does anyone have a secret route that would get me headed west after a game? Bear in mind that I am an Iowa country boy. During my 30 mile commute to work each morning, I meet the same three cars and my greatest worry is a deer collision.

 

Depending on where in Iowa, I wonder if you'd be better off heading south and west on surface streets, skipping I-94 and getting to I-43?

[owbc]

Does anyone have a secret route that would get me headed west after a game?

I agree with Canal St. for general parking.

 

For preferred parking, enter via Miller Park Way and turn left (west) at Canal St. Go around the right field side of the ballpark (via Frederick Miller Way) by the trees that lead to the VA. Try to park as far to the right (west) side as the attendants will let you (in the Thomas or Fingers lot).

 

To exit, do not go to the back of the lot by Mitchell Blvd and I-94. Instead, exit in one of the gaps in the median on the west side of the lot (onto Frederick Miller Way). Turn left and go back around the ballpark the way you came in. Then you can get back on I-94 via Miller Park Way, or you can take National Ave to 84th or all the way to 894.

[Patrick425]

brewers4eric[/b]]Does anyone have a secret route that would get me headed west after a game?

I agree with Canal St. for general parking.

 

For preferred parking, enter via Miller Park Way and turn left (west) at Canal St. Go around the right field side of the ballpark (via Frederick Miller Way) by the trees that lead to the VA. Try to park as far to the right (west) side as the attendants will let you (in the Thomas or Fingers lot).

 

To exit, do not go to the back of the lot by Mitchell Blvd and I-94. Instead, exit in one of the gaps in the median on the west side of the lot (onto Frederick Miller Way). Turn left and go back around the ballpark the way you came in. Then you can get back on I-94 via Miller Park Way, or you can take National Ave to 84th or all the way to 894.

Have to agree that if you get in the Thomas or Fingers lot and want to go West after the game that you should exit in one of the gaps in the median on the west side of the lot onto Frederick Miller Way. However, I have to completely disagree that you should then go Left (???). Go right towards the Mitchell Blvd Exit. That gets you directly onto I94 West and you are home free. We do that every game we go to and never have a problem.

 

However, also have to agree with jeffryscott that, unless you live in the NE part of IA going to I43 to Beloit then through IL would probably be a better route (especially if you are currently going West to Madison then south towards Beloit - I43 would be much quicker, easier, and less crowded).

[StearnsFTW]

Preferred Parking is always a mess to get out of because the Miller Park interchange was the most poorly designed interchange in the history of engineering. It slows down traffic everyday after work and after games that area is a mess. That's why I stick with the General Admission lot and then take Canal St. to exit.

Same. It's super fast and so few people use Canal.

Shhhhhhh.............

[1992casey]

If you're headed to Iowa via Beloit, National Avenue would seem to be perfect. Because it heads southwest, it wouldn't be good for those going to Waukesha and Madison, though.

 

I've never had much trouble with Bluemound, but if it is a problem, Wisconsin Avenue is a nice alternative. Also, if your plan is to head west, I wouldn't be afraid to go east and turn around once it's convenient. Story Parkway runs into Wisconsin Avenue, so you could head west there. If you're into a really quiet route, go north on 35th and head westward on State Street. You'd be able to pick up US45 from Watertown Plank Road.

 

My experience with Greenfield Avenue hasn't been good.

[Outlander]

I like to take canal also, I did that yesterday when I saw the long line to get into preferred I just took canal and it went rather fast. I just don't think many people know about canal or are not familar enough with the area and are afraid of getting lost or stuck in a bad neighborhood.

[CheezWizHed]

Its just the newest way for the Brewers to cheat... Backup traffic so the Cardinals are late leaving the park, get poor nights sleep, delay their room service and taxi pickups... They will be completely discombobulated tonight!

 

Boy, we are sneaky!

[RightFieldCoder]

I usually see final pitch and could get to my house in Cudahy around the time Provus is replaying the highlights of the game. Now I'm in Germantown and get home around 30-40 min after last pitch. If I told everyone here how I do it, it wouldn't be a secret anymore. My secret used to be Layton to 43rd all the way up, but too many blowhards (cough Beling cough) kept pimping that route on radio that it is no longer a quick route. Canal is quick when coming from the east, but too many people are talking about it and it is starting to become crowded.

 

I think it's just because the Brewers are finding so many ways to win late, no one wants to leave early anymore.

 

And I hate those parking attendants. I will be in a lane with other cars and they will actually jump in front of my car to try to wave me into a fuller lane. Before they took over all of the exits to the lots would be opened and it would be easy to exit. Then they barricaded the exits. Then they padlocked the barricades in place. Now it takes longer to get out because you can't use half the exits that were designed for the lots. Yet they have people standing around doing nothing, so I can't see how it saved them anything.