The City of Tallahassee

Tallahassee and FSU Police Departments Offer Tips for a Safe, Enjoyable Football Game Day Experience

September 08, 2023

The City of Tallahassee and Florida State University police departments are working diligently to provide a safe and enjoyable experience for the thousands of visitors who come to enjoy home football games. To help visitors plan their visit, information is below about the game day traffic pattern around the downtown area.

Pre-Game

Fans are encouraged to use the following roadways to gain access to parking on and around FSU's campus.

From the north, use Stadium Drive for parking on the west side of Doak Campbell Stadium and Macomb or Bronough streets to Pensacola Street for parking 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.

The traffic signals along Pensacola Street between Duval St and Chieftan Way will be set to "flash" two hours before the game to give priority to westbound traffic headed toward Doak Campbell Stadium. Tallahassee Police Department (TPD) officers will be on post along this route two hours prior to the game. Traffic signals at intersections near Doak Campbell Stadium could be controlled by TPD as much as eight hours before the start of the game.

Motorists traveling through the area who are not headed to the game should expect delays due to the traffic control pattern from two hours before kickoff until approximately 30 minutes after kickoff (weather delays not included), especially along Macomb Street and Copeland Street. If possible, these motorists are advised to use Ocala Road and Monroe Street for north-south travel to avoid the pre-game traffic pattern near Doak Campbell Stadium.

This year there will be one weekend during the season, where there will be home games at both Florida State and Florida A&M universities. Vehicle traffic will be heavy, especially on Tennessee Street, West Pensacola Street, South Monroe Street, Gaines Street, Lake Bradford Road and Orange Avenue before and after games. Everyone is advised to allow extra time for travel to ensure early arrival to the game.

Fans can also download the Waze Traffic App via SeminoleSafe. All game day traffic routes both pregame and postgame are entered into the app to provide the most direct routes taking into consideration detours, closures and congestion.

Seminole Booster parking lots are:

Warrior Booster Lots: 12, 13, 17, 19, 25-29
Tomahawk Booster Lots: 7, 9, 10, 11, 14, 16, 21-23
Silver Chief Booster Lots: 5, 8, 15
Golden Chief Booster Lots: 1-6

If you are parking in Seminole Booster lots 5, 6, 7, 8, 11 or 14, please approach the stadium from the east via West Pensacola Street. If you are parking in Booster lots 1, 2, 3, 4 or 18, please approach the stadium from the east via Gaines Street or the west from Pensacola Street. If you are parking in Booster lots 25 or 13, the most direct route will be to take West Tennessee Street to Woodward Avenue to access these lots. All non-Booster traffic is encouraged to use either Tennessee Street or Lake Bradford Road and look for general parking directions using the free SeminoleSafe App (see below for more information about the app). Boosters can also download the Waze Traffic App via SeminoleSafe. All game day traffic routes, including preferred routes to Booster Lots, both pregame and postgame, are entered into the app to provide the most direct routes taking into consideration detours, closures and congestion.

Post-Game

After the game is finished, West Pensacola Street east of the stadium will possibly be modified to flow one-way for eastbound traffic only, heading away from the stadium. Traffic signals along West Pensacola Street from Champions Ways to Duval Street will "flash" to give priority to traffic heading eastbound. St. Augustine Street between Varsity Drive and South Monroe Street will continue to flow one-way for eastbound traffic only and continue out Apalachee Parkway, helping to carry additional traffic away from the stadium. There will be a detour established to keep fans leaving the game on Madison Street flowing continuously out Apalachee Parkway while also keeping surface traffic north and south on Monroe Street flowing. Southbound traffic on Monroe Street will be rerouted to College Avenue to travel under Apalachee Parkway via Franklin Blvd./East Lafayette Street and back to Monroe Street via Gaines Street. Northbound Monroe Street traffic will be routed to Gaines Street to travel under Apalachee Parkway via East Lafayette Street/Franklin Blvd. and back to Monroe Street via College Avenue. Fans heading away from the stadium on Gaines Street eastbound will be directed south onto Monroe Street.

To give fans priority in leaving the area following the game, northbound traffic will not be allowed on Springhill Road / Lake Bradford Road from Orange Avenue to Gaines Street, nor will southbound traffic be allowed on Stadium Drive from Tennessee Street.

Motorists traveling through the area should expect delays due to the traffic control pattern from some time in the fourth quarter until approximately one hour after the end of the game (weather delays not included), especially along Macomb, Copeland, Duval, Bronough and Monroe streets. Motorists hoping to avoid post-game traffic, especially for north-south travel, 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 football season. The following are several initiatives for the games:

TPD will provide coordination with all traffic lights along Pensacola, Saint Augustine, Madison, Gaines, Stadium and Duval streets, as well as Lake Bradford Road.
A gate has been installed on the corner of Varsity Drive and St. Augustine Street for Lot 14 (Intramural Fields). This will allow for better pedestrian access.
More signage will be posted at multiple locations. Banners will be hung along Pensacola Street, as well as additional signs placed along all the routes.
TPD will be on post along Pensacola Street two hours prior to the game. TPD will also take control of the lights and intersections once all personnel are on post.

Fans are encouraged to arrive early and plan for some delays. Please follow directions of law enforcement while traveling to and from the game.

FAMU and FSU share home games on Nov. 11.

The SeminoleSafe App is the official mobile safety tool of Florida State University. Fans can refer to the SeminoleSafe App under tab GAME DAY GUIDE for real-time updates and additional information for home football games from direct turn-by-turn directions to their designated Booster or general parking lot, clear bag policy and instructions, prohibited items inside the stadium and real-time weather data on campus.

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