Alaska News

Tips for handling fair traffic

PALMER - Read the signs, bring a good attitude and remember where you parked your car.That's Palmer Police Commander Tom Remaley's advice for visitors to the Alaska State Fair, which starts Thursday.

"There have been some subtle changes in the signage that should make it faster to get into the parking lots and ease some of the frustration," Remaley said. "Everybody is in a hurry. I would tell them, 'Don't get angry. Leave a little time for the traffic and have a great fair.'"

Each year, particularly on weekends, traffic backs up, sometimes as far back as the Parks and Glenn highways interchange about five miles from the fairgrounds.

A new parking area, referred to as the Brown Lot, has been added on the east side of the grounds and can hold as many as 2,000 cars, said Mike Carey of Starplex Corp., a Portland, Ore., company charged with handling traffic at the fair. The lot may not be used, but it's available if it's needed.

This year, Carey said, new signage means they have two ways for traffic coming from either direction to flow the drivers into lots.

"And we have a new exiting strategy," he said. "We've never had flaggers on the highway at the south end of Inner Springer Loop," the exit nearest Anchorage. This year there will be flaggers there from 6 p.m. until the traffic lets up. His flaggers will also be on call at noon on weekends and on nights with special attractions such as fireworks.

Parking at the fair is never a breeze, but last year's near-record number of visitors caused heartburn for fairgoers and officials who were swamped the first weekend. The unusually sunny weather contributed, tempting more than 300,000 people to attend.

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That might not be the case this year. The extended forecast for Palmer calls for showers to start today and continue for a week. Temperatures are expected to be from the low 60s to mid-50s during the day.

The normal drive time from the north edge of Anchorage to Palmer is about 45 minutes but will exceed that considerably over the weekend. And there's no point in trying to push it. The speed limits have been lowered to 45 mph on most of the road between the Glenn and Parks interchange and the fairgrounds. And the cops will be watching.

"Our officers will be working 10-hour shifts," Remaley said. And he expects troopers to keep an eye on traffic not only on the Glenn and Parks highways but as far away as Knik Goose Bay Road south of Wasilla.

"Fair traffic comes from every direction," Remaley said. "There are a lot of accidents."

And most of all, Relamey said, "Know for sure what parking lot you're in. I get about 18 calls a year for stolen vehicles and it's because they can't find their car. They forgot where they parked or said they were in the Red parking lot when they were actually in the Purple. In all my years, I have had one that was stolen. They just get flustered, or they arrive in the daylight and leave in the dark."

If you want to avoid the traffic and take it easy to and from the fair, the train may be the way to go. Details follow.

2008 Alaska State Fair train

First Train on Saturday, Aug. 23 and Aug. 30

Only train on Sundays, Aug. 24 and Aug. 31

· Depart Anchorage: 9 a.m.

· Arrive Palmer: 10:30 a.m.

· Depart Palmer: 4:30 p.m.

· Arrive Anchorage: 6 p.m.

Second Train on Saturday Aug. 23

Only train on Friday, Aug. 29

· Depart Anchorage: 1:30 p.m.

· Arrive Palmer: 3 p.m.

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· Depart Palmer: 10:30 p.m. (later departure to allow for Fireworks viewing)

· Arrive Anchorage: 11:59 p.m.

Second train on Saturday Aug. 30

· Depart Anchorage: 1:30 p.m.

· Arrive Palmer: 3 p.m.

· Depart Palmer: 10 p.m.

· Arrive Anchorage: 11:30 p.m.

Ticket Information

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All tickets are round-trip, and include fair admission. Purchase tickets from the Alaska Railroad at 265-2494 or 800-544-0552.

· Adults (13-59) $54

·Seniors (60+) $47

· Children (6-12) $27

· Children (5 and under) $22

By T.C. MITCHELL

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