Thousands of FSU football fans converge on Doak Campbell Stadium during home game weekends. (FSU Photo Services)
The City of Tallahassee and Florida State University (FSU) Police Departments are working diligently to provide a safe and enjoyable experience for visitors who come to enjoy home football games. To help fans plan, below is information about the game day traffic pattern.
Pre-Game
Fans are encouraged to use the following pathways to access parking on and around the FSU campus.
From the North, use Stadium Drive to park on the west side of Doak Campbell Stadium and Macomb or Bronough Streets to Pensacola Street to park on the east side of Doak Campbell. From the East, use Pensacola or Gaines Streets. From the West, use Pensacola or Tennessee Streets to Stadium Drive. From the South, use Lake Bradford Road.
Traffic lights along Pensacola Street, between Duval St and Chieftan Way, will be set to flash prior to the game to give priority to westbound traffic heading to Doak Campbell Stadium. Officers from the Tallahassee Police Department (TPD) will be at their post along this route two hours before game time. TPD could control traffic lights at intersections near Doak Campbell Stadium up to eight hours before the start of the game.
Motorists traveling through the area not headed to the game should expect delays due to the traffic control pattern from two hours before kickoff to approximately 30 minutes after kickoff (weather delays are not included), especially as along Macomb and Copeland streets. If possible, motorists are encouraged to use Ocala Road and Monroe Street to travel north to south to avoid the pre-game traffic pattern near Doak Campbell Stadium.
On three weekends during the season, there are home games at Florida State and Florida A&M. Vehicle traffic will be heavy, especially on Tennessee Street, Pensacola Street, South Monroe Street, Gaines Street, Lake Bradford Road and Orange Avenue before and after games. Fans are encouraged to allow additional time for travel to ensure early arrival at games.
Click on the FSU Football Game Day Parking Map to find a suitable parking area.
Spirit Express Bus Service
Spirit Express bus service from the Tucker Civic Center will NOT be available this season.
Seminole Booster parking lots are:
Warrior booster packs: 12, 13, 17, 19, 25-29 Tomahawk booster packs: 7, 9, 10, 11, 14, 16, 21-23 Silver Chief booster packs: 5, 8, 15 Booster packs Golden Chief: 1-6
If you park in Seminole Booster Lots 5, 6, 7, 8, 11, or 14, approach the stadium from the east on Pensacola Street. If you park in Booster Lots 1, 2, 3, 4 or 18, please approach the stadium from the east via Gaines Street or from the west on Pensacola Street. If you park in Booster lots 25 or 13, the most direct route will be to take West Tennessee Street to Woodward Avenue. All non-Booster Lot traffic is encouraged to use Tennessee Street or Lake Bradford Road to look up general parking directions using the free SeminoleSafe app (see below for more information about the app).
For more help navigating the area, fans can download the Waze Traffic app through SeminoleSafe. All game day traffic routes, before and after the game, are entered into the app to provide the most direct routes, taking into account detours, closures and congestion.
After the match
After the game ends, Pensacola Street east of the stadium will possibly be modified to flow one-way for eastbound traffic only, away from the stadium. Traffic lights along Pensacola Street from Champions Ways to Duval Street will flash to give priority to eastbound traffic. St. Augustine Street between Varsity Drive and South Monroe Street will continue to flow one way for eastbound traffic only and will continue along Apalachee Parkway, helping to direct additional traffic away from the stadium. A bypass will be established so that fans exiting the game on Madison Street will flow continuously onto Apalachee Parkway. Southbound traffic on Monroe Street will be routed east on College Avenue, south on Franklin Blvd./East Lafayette Street, and west on Gaines Street back to Monroe Street. Northbound traffic on Monroe Street will be routed east on Gaines Street, north on East Lafayette Street/Franklin Blvd., and west on College Avenue back to Monroe Street. Fans heading east away from the stadium on Gaines Street will be directed south on Monroe Street.
To give fans priority to exit the area after the game, no northbound traffic will be permitted on Springhill Road/Lake Bradford Road from Orange Avenue to Gaines Street, nor will southbound traffic be permitted on Stadium Drive from Tennessee Street .
Motorists traveling through the area should expect delays due to the traffic control pattern from sometime in the fourth quarter to about an hour after the end of the game (weather delays are not included), especially along the streets Macomb, Copeland, Duval, Bronough, and Monroe. . Motorists who wish to avoid post-game traffic, especially traveling north-south, are advised to use Ocala Road and Monroe Street.
COLLABORATION:
The City of Tallahassee and Florida State University participate in numerous meetings throughout the spring in preparation for the football season. The following are various initiatives for gaming:
TPD will provide coordination with all traffic signals along Pensacola, Saint Augustine, Madison, Gaines, Stadium and Duval streets, as well as Lake Bradford Road. A gate was installed at the corner of Varsity Drive and St. Augustine Street for Lot 14 (intramural fields). This will allow for better pedestrian access. More signs will be posted in various places. Banners will be hung along Pensacola Street, as well as additional signs placed along all routes. TPD will be at the booth along Pensacola Street two hours before the game. TPD will also take control of lights and intersections once all personnel are in place.
Fans are encouraged to arrive early and plan for some delays. Please follow the instructions of law enforcement when traveling to and from the game.
FAMU and FSU share home game days on September 24, October 1, and October 29.
The SeminoleSafe app is the official mobile security tool of Florida State University. Fans can check the SeminoleSafe app under the GAME DAY GUIDE tab for real-time updates and additional information for home football games, from direct turn-by-turn directions to your Designated Booster or general parking, policy and parking instructions. transparent bags, prohibited items inside the stadium and real-time weather data on campus.
Source: news.fsu.edu