AWP Safety Goes Long at Texas A&M University Games

While AWP Safety has extensive experience in traffic control safety for the broadband, utility, and infrastructure industries, it also lends its expertise for managing traffic and spectator safety at large-scale sporting events. For a decade, AWP Safety has been Texas A&M University’s trusted partner for executing complex traffic control plans for major events at Kyle Field, including Texas Aggies NCAA Division I football games.

Challenge

Keeping over-capacity crowds moving safely

Texas A&M University, located in College Station, Texas, is the state’s first public institution of higher education and the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University system. With a capacity of 102,000+ people, the university’s stadium, Kyle Field, is one of the five largest stadiums in collegiate football. Home to the Aggies football team, Kyle Field also plays host to numerous concerts, festivals, and local events, all with varying traffic control needs. However, it is the football games that pose some of the most complex challenges, with a young, high-energy student crowd, sold-out games and access via rural roads not designed to handle large volumes of traffic.

While the university has many in-house capabilities for planning and managing such complex traffic control plans, additional resources and expertise are needed to ensure plans are executed efficiently, safely, and professionally before and after every game.

Solution

A trusted partner for traffic control expertise and execution

Texas A&M University leverages AWP Safety’s unparalleled traffic control expertise in multiple ways – from reviewing traffic control plans for safety and compliance to installing message boards, signs, and cones.

James Crenshaw, lead protector who has supported Aggies games for 10 years, notes that Texas AM continues to select AWP Safety due to its professionalism, safety knowledge and high level of service. “We’ve built a strong operational relationship,” he says. “They can depend on us to be there on time and stay until it’s all over. They know we will do whatever it takes to keep the events safe.”

Leading up to football season, AWP Safety team members meet with university staff in a series of meetings to discuss project needs and review traffic control plans. “Texas A&M’s safety experts design their own traffic control plans and rely on our experts to carefully review each page to ensure they haven’t missed anything,” says Latonya Cargin, AWP Safety field supervisor. The average game day set-up includes seven AWP Safety team members, six vehicles and five portable message boards. “Early on game day, we coordinate with university staff who manage traffic control setup on-campus. We handle everything off-campus, including barricade and cone setup for all roads providing access to Kyle Field,” Cargin adds.

Depending on kick-off time, AWP Safety crews are on the road as early as 5 a.m. to install message boards and complete lane closures by 6 a.m. But it’s post-game that requires more complex management, according to Daniel Venezuela, AWP Safety general manager of Texas operations. “Traffic coming in is spread out across the morning and mid-day, so we don’t have a huge influx,” he says. “The real challenge is after the game when everyone is leaving at the same time.” To handle such large crowds — which at a recent game was 107,000, exceeding the stadium’s capacity — AWP Safety team members are on the roads before and after halftime, coordinating closely with university team members, to ensure the safe flow of drivers and pedestrians.

Results

• Safe and efficient movement of crowds over 100,000 strong. AWP Safety teams ensure seamless navigation of pedestrians, vehicles, and public bus transportation around the stadium.
• Validated traffic control plan compliance. Using its deep expertise of traffic control engineering and planning, AWP Safety provides a second opinion for Texas A&M’s in-house traffic control plans, providing verification that they comply with Texas Department of Transportation (TXDOT) regulations.
• A trusted and reliable partnership. In 10 years of working with AWP Safety, Texas A&M has reported zero major traffic safety incidents.

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