TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

MacDill AirFest Promises Heavy Traffic As Well As Fun

Tribune file photo by MICHAEL SPOONEYBARGER (2008)

An F-4, P-51 and F-15 performed during the Heritage Fly-By at AirFest 2008 at MacDill Air Force Base. This year's AirFest begins Saturday.

ADVERTISEMENT

By RICH SHOPES | The Tampa Tribune

Published: March 26, 2009

TAMPA - AirFest is flying into town this weekend, which means potential traffic headaches in South Tampa.

Previous air shows had Dale Mabry Highway and MacDill Avenue turned into parking lots. Just how thick traffic gets this time around near MacDill Air Force Base isn't known yet.

Last year, about 120,000 people showed up for the two-day free event, significantly off from the 350,000 in 2007.

On the upside, traffic was lighter and drivers experienced fewer on-base parking hassles. That helped because parking was in shorter supply.

A hospital construction project gobbled up about 5,000 spaces last year. Ongoing construction will mean the same thing at this year's event: About 14,000 parking spaces are allocated for the show.

MacDill officials are asking spectators on Saturday and Sunday to show up early and carpool to conserve parking and cut down on traffic outside the base.

Motorists can enter through two gates, on MacDill Avenue and Dale-Mabry Highway. Police will direct traffic near the base, but if traffic gets heavy traffic might be directed to intersections close to Gandy Boulevard. The gates open at 8 a.m.

"If we see a whole bunch of people lined up, we might open the gates earlier. It all depends on how many people show up," base spokeswoman Staff Sgt. Patrice Clarke said.

The main gates will close to traffic around 2 p.m., once the parking areas fill up. The event runs until 5 p.m. both days.

No alcohol or pets are allowed. Folding chairs will be permitted. No coolers will be allowed near the flightline, but they will be allowed inside of cars in the parking areas. Officials advise bringing sunglasses, sunscreen and bottled water. Food will be sold inside the base.

This year's headliner is the Thunderbirds. Exhibitions include a B-25 bomber, a P-51 fighter plane, a T-6 Star Fire and a biplane. Modern fighter jets will be on display. Also, a group will parachute over the base.

New this year: the county's transit agency, HART, will run its Route 4 buses from downtown Tampa to the base. Folks can park at a downtown garage and take the bus.

The vehicles will run every 15 minutes and use the Bayshore entrance, so riders won't have to wait at the main gates. Fares are $1.75 one-way for adults, and 85 cents for seniors and youths 17 and younger.

For more information, go to www.macdill-airfest.com.

Reporter Rich Shopes can be reached at (813) 259-7633.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT