No one is mentioning the big race in Sparta and the economic impact? (Ashland: house, neighborhoods)

[kentuckydad95]

Originally Posted by EclecticEars

Sorry to disappoint, but I did make it in well before the race. After, of course, sitting in hardly-not-moving traffic for four hours.

I understand that wait times are potentially long given the fact that K.S. is in a rural area with limited lanes. I also realize and also thank the KY State Police for doing an outstanding job considering how few staff and resources they had there.

The traffic control, however, was a complete and total nightmare. It took four hours just for us to get parked, and we finally made a space for ourselves on the side of a road and walked a mile to the track. I'm actually writing to the KY Transportation Cabinet and outlining some of my personal suggestions for improving traffic flow, although (AGAIN) I realize it can't be perfect at a race like that.

I also attended Thunder Over Louisville in 2004 and saw firsthand that Kentucky is quite idiotic at large-scale traffic control. The Quaker State 400 yesterday was another such example.

Told ya so...lol You sit there for hours and witnessed an extremely boring race. Three hours of follow the leader. Then you are rewarded with a massive traffic issue leaving the track. Welcome to NASCAR.

[EclecticEars]

Originally Posted by kentuckydad95

Told ya so...lol You sit there for hours and witnessed an extremely boring race. Three hours of follow the leader. Then you are rewarded with a massive traffic issue leaving the track. Welcome to NASCAR.

I know this: you weren't kidding! The race was boring, too.

However, the traffic getting to the track was the nightmare. I actually managed to get home, once I actually started the car, in one hour and 20 minutes.

[kentuckydad95]

Originally Posted by EclecticEars

I know this: you weren't kidding! The race was boring, too.

However, the traffic getting to the track was the nightmare. I actually managed to get home, once I actually started the car, in one hour and 20 minutes.

They are going to have to 5-lane I-71 on BOTH sides before next year's race. Like I said before, traffic was bad there when they had 50K. I am sure the people will be soured after this mess and will not be back. I expect MAYBE 80K there next year.

Did you enjoy watching a night of follow the leader?

[The Dissenter]

Originally Posted by kentuckydad95

They are going to have to 5-lane I-71 on BOTH sides before next year's race. Like I said before, traffic was bad there when they had 50K. I am sure the people will be soured after this mess and will not be back. I expect MAYBE 80K there next year.

Did you enjoy watching a night of follow the leader?

The only thing that made that night worse was Kyle Busch (the biggest tool in NASCAR) won.

I think a solution to the traffic problems would be maybe a large organized carpool system that includes buses. I can not see a solution to this problem that will prevent the mess that can be implemented before next year.

[EclecticEars]

Originally Posted by kentuckydad95

They are going to have to 5-lane I-71 on BOTH sides before next year's race. Like I said before, traffic was bad there when they had 50K. I am sure the people will be soured after this mess and will not be back. I expect MAYBE 80K there next year.

Did you enjoy watching a night of follow the leader?

Rather than that, they could at least institute contra-flow. So, they could still have four lanes (each direction is two lanes already) going toward I-75/Cincinnati. Then, they could widen the northbound ramp onto I-75 N to accommodate the merge of contraflow traffic and have four lanes merging onto I-75N.

For contra-flow en route to Louisville, they could do that to the Oldham/Henry County line, then facilitate the merge of the contraflow traffic onto a newly-widened southbound I-71 in Oldham Co. (The state needs to widen I-71 to four lanes in each direction in Oldham Co., anyway.)

Another thought: Institute contra-flow, widen I-71 in Jefferson and Oldham Cos. to four lanes each direction, then widen I-71 from OC to I-75 to three lanes in each direction. Now there's a plan! Plus, it would make I-71 a much, much, MUCH safer and less crappy road during the other 364 days of the year.

#18 loves to lead. Or maybe his car is just souped up. But the best entertainment was all the crazy a** redneck fans with rebel flags, mullets, tramp stamps, sagging boobs, etc. It was almost worth $100 just to experience that en masse.

More seriously, my relatives have talked about how NASCAR used to be more exciting, daring and "less civilized," therefore making the races more engaging. Agree or disagree?

[The Dissenter]

Originally Posted by EclecticEars

Rather than that, they could at least institute contra-flow. So, they could still have four lanes (each direction is two lanes already) going toward I-75/Cincinnati. Then, they could widen the northbound ramp onto I-75 N to accommodate the merge of contraflow traffic and have four lanes merging onto I-75N.

For contra-flow en route to Louisville, they could do that to the Oldham/Henry County line, then facilitate the merge of the contraflow traffic onto a newly-widened southbound I-71 in Oldham Co. (The state needs to widen I-71 to four lanes in each direction in Oldham Co., anyway.)

Another thought: Institute contra-flow, widen I-71 in Jefferson and Oldham Cos. to four lanes each direction, then widen I-71 from OC to I-75 to three lanes in each direction. Now there's a plan! Plus, it would make I-71 a much, much, MUCH safer and less crappy road during the other 364 days of the year.

#18 loves to lead. Or maybe his car is just souped up. But the best entertainment was all the crazy a** redneck fans with rebel flags, mullets, tramp stamps, sagging boobs, etc. It was almost worth $100 just to experience that en masse.

More seriously, my relatives have talked about how NASCAR used to be more exciting, daring and "less civilized," therefore making the races more engaging. Agree or disagree?

Agree. I used to be a big fan but back in the last 5 years with the Car of Tomorrow coming in and the tandem racing and restrictive rules from NASCAR it's a snoozefest these days for the most part. The worst races to watch nowadays are the superspeedway races which consist of nothing more than tandem racing and multiple GWC finishes.

[kytoaz]

Originally Posted by Alanboy395

The only thing that made that night worse was Kyle Busch (the biggest tool in NASCAR) won.

I think a solution to the traffic problems would be maybe a large organized carpool system that includes buses. I can not see a solution to this problem that will prevent the mess that can be implemented before next year.

you're absolutely correct. no way do they fix this in one year. while i am happy for the economic impact this has on our state, i just gotta.

N-on
A-theletic
S-port
C-entered
A-round
R-ednecks


happy mulleting!!

[MissingIndiana]

Originally Posted by kytoaz

you're absolutely correct. no way do they fix this in one year. while i am happy for the economic impact this has on our state, i just gotta.

N-on
A-theletic
S-port
C-entered
A-round
R-ednecks


happy mulleting!!

The video they had on the Courier Journal website definitely reinforced this notion. It featured a group of drunks riding around the tailgating area in a hillbilly hot-tub (pickup truck bed filled with water) and a variety of other redneck looking/sounding people.

The traffic sounded awful. One article quoted a tweet from someone from Nashville saying something about spending 5 hours in traffic and then being turned away when they got there. I guess one of the drivers took a helicopter to the track so he could get there. The problem is there just aren't that many other good routes to the track.

[kygman]

A friend of mine went to the race, had a great time and great seats! And to the surprise of most of you, I imagine, he doesn't drink! He said besides reworking the interstate, more parking needs to be added. They were smart and got a hotel room in Louisville. They got back to their room around 2 AM Sunday morning.

[kentuckydad95]

David Williams is pouncing on the opportunity: Senator wants hearings to investigate NASCAR traffic tie-ups - WAVE 3 News - Louisville, Kentucky

I sorta have to agree with him. This was an embarrassment for KY. The state is going to have to bite the bullet and 6-lane I-71 on both sides, miles away and up to the track.