INDIANAPOLIS (WRTV) -- While the Indianapolis 500 draws hundreds of thousands of people to the town of Speedway each year for the "Greatest Spectacle in Racing," it also creates a spectacle of traffic after the race is finished.
First Sgt. Aaron Pfaff of the Indiana State Police said his agency's plan for directing post-race traffic was to "get the pedestrians out in a safe manner and then manage the traffic in and out in a safe manner."
"Right now, we have the roundabout (next to Indianapolis Motor Speedway) shut down to all vehicular traffic while we get the pedestrians out of Gate 1 at the speedway. And once that slows down, then we'll open it up to vehicle traffic."
Despite the formidable amount of traffic, some race fans simply got into their cars and prepared for a long drive, undaunted. Race fan Lenin Gonzalez said, "Maybe it's gonna take me like an hour? Usually it takes me five minutes, (but) this is part of the game, right?"
Haley Oakes, who was traveling with a group from Terre Haute, estimated it would take them about an hour and a half to get home. "We're just going to ease out of here We're going straight through. We're not stopping."
But Trevor Young and his family, after being burned in the past, took a more strategic approach for their race exit. "Last year was our first year here, and we had to walk 6 miles to get out because Uber couldn't get in here. This year, we did the opposite and we stayed at a local hotel, and then we (are taking) the airport shuttle. We can sit, relax. My little one can take a nap."
Brian Miller, a veteran of more than 40 Indy 500 races, said the key to a smooth race exit is not to leave right away and just wait for the traffic to clear. "Wait, be patient. Don't get in any hurry. Go visit your family. Go visit your friends. Have a good time. That's what it's all about."
