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Carrboro trying to solve festival traffic flow issues

Carrboro wants to attract large festivals — but it has to figure out traffic flow first.

Nearly 10,000 people flooded into the town for the Carrboro Music Festival held on Sept. 28 and 29.

Gerry Williams, the festival coordinator, said the planning committee worked full time with members of the Recreation and Parks Department beginning in August. Williams has been the head of the planning committee for 16 years.

With 25 venues and over 180 performing acts, the festival lasted all day on Sept. 29. Weaver Street was shut down from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. to allow for the flow of traffic, Williams said.

“You can always do a festival better,” Williams said in regards to ideas for next year. “I tend to want things to run perfectly, which may be impossible.”

The main issue the committee is working to address for future events is parking and traffic flow, Williams said.

Shuttle buses are now provided to transport festival goers, but only 679 people out of more than 10,000 attendees utilized the shuttles, according to the official festival report prepared by organizers.

“Getting more people to use the shuttle bus is a goal every year,” Williams said.

The report also stated cars parked at Weaver Street Market had to be escorted out by police after the street was closed — but the town plans to address this issue for next year.

People experienced similar problems during the Carrboro Road Race on Oct. 5.

David Andrews, the Carrboro town manager, said the road race had over 500 runners this year.

There were complaints about residents being unable to access the streets they lived on, Andrews said. He said he planned on getting a briefing of the situation and meeting with residents to address these concerns.

“We want to make sure everybody has a great time,” Andrews said. “We also want to make sure everybody is safe.”

And large events cause cars to overflow into small business parking lots.

The municipal parking lot near Open Eye Cafe was crowded and full all day long during the music festival, according to the official report.

But Williams said the committee got few, if any, complaints from small businesses in the area.

“Most small businesses like the crowds — it’s their biggest day of the year,” Williams said.

Many of these businesses even hosted performers during the festival. Other acts performed on lawns and in parking lots. Williams said some of the biggest supporters of the music festival were professional music venues — and they weren’t bothered by the parking and traffic issues.

“We do try and coordinate with businesses and residents,” Andrews said. “It helps promote the local economy by having these special events.”

city@dailytarheel.com

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