Getting out of Tuscaloosa has become a nightmare

luvthat_TIDE

All-SEC
Aug 10, 2004
1,148
22
62
I mentioned this briefly in another thread, but I want to go into details. Here is how my Saturday night went after the Bama game against A&M.

6:15 - Game ends and I start to look for a way to get out of the stadium. I waited for everyone to fill past because I hate to jump into a group of people.

7:15 - I arrive at my car in the parking lot next to the soccer fields. The lot is packed and nobody is moving. I sit in my parking space for the next 30 minutes.

8:15 - I finally make it on to McFarland Blvd. only to see nothing but cars for miles in front of me. I wind up sitting in traffic on McFarland Blvd. for 1 hour.

9:15 - I turn onto I-59/I-20 toward Birmingham. Traffic moves about 25-30 mph until the interstate turns to three lanes. After that traffic picked up to a normal pace.

10:15 - I walk into the house and fall onto the couch only to fall asleep minutes later.

I understand that 102,000 fans went to the game and traffic will not be as normal, but something has got to give. We have added nearly 20,000 seats over the last six years but the infrastructure has not kept pace. Extending the third lane on I-20/I-59 all the way to Tuscaloosa would help a lot. Making both lanes on McFarland Blvd. move away from campus for a few hours after the game would help. But, something has got to be done to build up the infrastructure in order to get people out of Tuscaloosa and back home in a reasonable amount of time.

Rant over.

At least you made it home before falling asleep
 

CrimsonNagus

Hall of Fame
Jun 6, 2007
8,470
6,182
212
45
Montgomery, Alabama, United States
Just leave when the the students leave, problem solved! :biggrin:


In all seriousness, if this weeks game is worthless to you please give me your tickets. I have a 5 year old daughter who would love to see a game live. I ain't about to pay you for them though because, as you said, they are worthless. Thank you good sir!
 

RT3413

All-American
Sep 14, 2004
2,176
0
55
Atlanta, GA
Just leave when the the students leave, problem solved! :biggrin:


In all seriousness, if this weeks game is worthless to you please give me your tickets. I have a 5 year old daughter who would love to see a game live. I ain't about to pay you for them though because, as you said, they are worthless. Thank you good sir!
Come down to Tusc on Sat, you'll be able to find tickets for $5 each.
 

peariver

1st Team
Jan 31, 2009
897
2
35
SW Georgia
I have no complaints with the traffic, I have found my most successful way out of Tuscaloosa. The only complaint I have had this year is with the start time of the Ole Miss game. I live in south Georgia so my body clock is an hour ahead of you guys. Couple that with having to drive to Prattville for a room at 2:00am and you have yourself a very tired weekend and kind of spent on Monday, but I recovered. However, I don't think I will make it to another game scheduled that late. Games on this side of the Mississippi River should start before 8pm.
 

CHATTBRIT

Hall of Fame
Dec 3, 2003
5,762
504
237
Falling Water, TN
To be able to attend a game at BDS is a wonderful opportunity. I don't have season tickets so get to just a few games. These early games are difficult which mean I have to leave TN very early in the morning and still have time to stop and eat before the game. I don't view this as a problem.
 

MBA_99

1st Team
Jan 11, 2010
913
37
52
A, A
Hell's Bells, people. Surely most of the negative posts are trolls. I live in Birmingham. If I lived in Oxford, Huntsville, or anywhere in the state I'd still drive to every home game. So I don't care if I have to cruise on 261. For all I care I'll take 82 to Montgomery and go up I-65.

If you skip a game, please put your tickets on eBay for $5 so someone will go and yell. Donate the $5 back to the university or maybe storm relief.
 

1Dawn

1st Team
Sep 18, 2009
372
0
0
I live in the Tuscaloosa area now. I have lived in, and traveled through, several larger cities. Tuscaloosa does seem to have traffic issues for a smaller town. The traffic is a problem without a game (many local residents complain), as people travel either McFarland Blvd. or over the bridge from N'port or from Hwy. 69 S to 359 to get to work and back. It is common to take 30 minutes to drive 9 - 10 miles at rush hour. You basically inch your way to work each day and can be frustrating five days a week. Many people arrange work schedules either early or late, where they do not have an 8:00 a.m. arrival time. So, I do understand fans having some complaints, even if they do love Alabama football. If I were traveling to B'ham, I would NOT take McFarland during game times, but would use 15th St. E or Univ. Blvd. E. and wind around to Hwy. 11 (far end of Skyland Blvd. through Cottondale). I would take 11 until I got back on 20/59 by Mercedes, as you will be back to three lanes in that area. Good luck to those traveling in and out of T-Town! RTR!
 

derek4tide

Hall of Fame
Jan 19, 2005
11,492
1
0
Daphne, AL
I would gladly sit in traffic for 16 hours after a Bama game. So, anyone not wanting to fight "traffic", I will take those tickets anytime. :)
 

CaliforniaTide

All-American
Aug 9, 2006
3,618
14
57
Huntsville, AL
This thread is a God-send because I've never had to drive out of Tuscaloosa in order to get a place to stay. The wife and I still have close friends that live in town, so we just stay with them. Back to OP, I've always tried to avoid McFarland even during the offseason - there's just too much traffic on that road. All of the other suggestions are good. And I'll gladly take the tickets off of your hands as well.
 

capnfrog

All-American
Aug 17, 2002
3,556
0
155
Pell city, Al. U.S.A.
Would love to have that problem again but there are not enough handicap spaces close to the stadium and I can't walk very far or sit or stand very long. Getting from my vehicle to the stadium, sitting in a stadium seat that's hard as a rock for 4 hours then back to my vehicle, then sitting in the car seat for 4 hours counting the ride home, has me ready to stomp the floor boards out, that's about 12 hours sitting or standing on concrete. Can't drink anything because then I have to navigate the stadium steps and crowd to go pee. :)
 

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