Destination Aggieland, a mobile app set to be released the second week of August, may lessen traffic concerns for Aggie football patrons, said Tim Lomax, senior research engineer at the Texas A&M Transportation Institute.
The app is part of a larger plan to organize traffic surrounding Kyle Field, Lomax said, and will provide ongoers with the ability to pay ahead for parking. It is also expected to provide real time information of traffic conditions, including bus routes and traffic congestion.
Lomax said University Chancellor John Sharp requested this app be developed to improve the game weekend experience after the end of the 2013 football season.
The app is a more holistic approach to transportation in regards to the pedestrian and vehicular traffic around the cities of Bryan-College Station, said Peter Lange, executive director for transportation services.
“We can improve the flow on and around campus by making some tweaks to the current system that will let us handle a greater capacity in a smaller amount of time,” Lange said.
Destination Aggieland will include a “My Route” tab that will offer construction updates, road closure updates and possible detours, Lomax said.
Lomax said the app’s ability to track traffic in real time, will make the app even more beneficial for visitors and students.
Other app features include local restaurant and bar hours and entertainment under the “Around Town” tab.
“[The app] is centered around the three hours of the football game, but there are many other things to do around town,” Lomax said.
This app will be available to the 106,000 people who can be seated in Kyle Field, and the tailgaters surrounding it. The overall goal is to improve the experience on the weekend, Lomax said.
Jason Cook, senior associate athletics director, said he thought the app was a great idea for game days in Aggieland.
“Some people spend more time traveling to and from the games than they do at the actual football game,” Cook said. “This app was designed to reduce their travel time.”
Lomax said the app is expected to streamline the entire game day process for football attendees. He said the app is most beneficial when it is combined with pre-game planning.
“There have been some people who have been parking in the same area and taking the same route for the past 30 years,” Lomax said. “I’m not saying we won’t let them do that, but they may find an even better weekend experience if they think about what they’re doing after,” Lomax said.
Cook said Destination Aggieland is projected for an update after the first home game.