Groveland Twp.- Renaissance officials say changes will be made to help avoid Dixie Highway traffic gridlocks next year.
Township officials are concerned after the Renaissance Festival weekends of Sept. 19-20 and 26-27, where traffic on Dixie Highway was bumper-to-bumper for miles in both directions for several hours. Traffic stretched from the Renaissance entrance north to I-75, then south to McGinnis Lake and on Grange Hall Road west over the I-75 ramp. The gridlock boxed in the township fire station and at one point forced an emergency service vehicle to travel the wrong way down Dixie Highway.
Parker responded by emphasizing that alleviating Dixie Highway congestion issues is an ongoing process.
‘It was the perfect storm of craziness on Dixie Highway,? said Kathy Parker, Michigan Renaissance director and general manager. ‘It was a combination of factors that added to the traffic gridlock.?
Parker responded to the township board of trustees and Supervisor Bob DePalma who expressed concern with the congestion from the festival that attracts more than 250,000 visitors weekends between Aug. 22 through Oct. 4. ‘We’ve had bad days out there before, but this was the absolute worst,? said DePalma. ‘When the festival draws 22,000 people per day it’s fine, but when those numbers top 29,000 like it did for two weekends, there are problems.?
‘For starters the Road Commission for Oakland County rerouted traffic from I-75 to Dixie Highway as a construction detour,? she said. ‘The signs were at exits 106 and 102 on I-75. That was just too much for Dixie to handle.?
‘We are going to expand our parking with an additional 30 acres that will be added to our existing lots,? she said. ‘We already own the land, so it’s a matter of clearing the property and getting approval.?
The weather also played a big factor she added.
‘When the weather forecast is for rain people stay home,? she said. ‘So they will stay home and the first nice weekend everyone shows up at once. Our goal is to provide one lane moving through all the time.?
Parker added that Oakland County Sheriff Deputies have been increased from four to 12 and the parking lot at Mt. Holly Ski resort parking lot will be on standby.