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Week In Pictures
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Last year on the Saturday of the Rolex Three-Day Event, more than 40,000 people showed up to watch the cross-country phase, and the traffic coming off Interstate 75 did more than snarl. It stagnated, staggered and just plain stopped on one of the area's busiest roadways.
Traffic is a constant worry, for Rolex organizers and for the people putting together the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, which will bring even more people to the Kentucky Horse Park.
The Horse Park's vast acreage, all 1,200 acres, is accessible by only two entrances, the main entrance and that into the campground, said Robin Cravens, president of Equestrian Events Inc., which runs Rolex.
"As our event grows, it presents more challenges," Cravens said. In addition, there are only two ways to get to the Horse Park -- from I-75 or from Newtown and Ironworks pikes.
Cravens said last year's traffic was complicated by highway construction. This year, things should be much improved, as Rolex is getting help from 34 Kentucky State Police troopers, Horse Park security officers, and for the first time, Lexington police traffic officers.
But as the number of spectators grows, so does the number of Rolex volunteers, all of whom have cars.
WEG organizers are watching Rolex all weekend, including spectator and traffic flow. They're expecting a cross-country-size crowd every day for 16 days starting Sept. 25, 2010.
They're already planning to keep most cars off the park and use buses to bring people from hotels and satellite locations. They've also hired a national consulting firm, Gameday Management, that has worked at the past two Super Bowls.
Naturally, many things will be different, including that the Horse Park's main parking lot -- where media and volunteers park at Rolex -- will be covered by a trade show.
"We're always looking at traffic flow," said Rob Hinkle, vice president for operations for the World Games Foundation. "We're particularly looking at traffic flow off the interstate."
The state transportation department has hired consultants to look at ways to improve the I-75 exit, possibly by adding another exit lane.
"We have to make sure there's no backup on the interstate," Hinkle said. "We might provide a lane of traffic into the park just for team members. That's the worst situation -- athletes stuck in traffic."
Cravens said it's possible that Rolex will look at satellite parking in the future, but that also will depend on budgetary concerns.
"We also want to keep our tickets affordable," she said.
In other WEG-related news, organizers displayed a preliminary plan of the Horse Park during the Games. It shows many of the expected 500 temporary buildings, including the trade show, the new arena, the new stadium, and new VIP and media areas. The endurance staging area will be in the polo fields on Ironworks Pike, and the carriage-driving arena will be put in another polo field near the cross-country course.
Organizers also have planned a temporary schedule of World Games events. The first week will have vaulting, endurance riding, dressage and eventing. The second week will be jumping, para-equestrian dressage for disabled riders, Western reining and carriage driving.
