Contact: Bill Martin
STARKVILLE, Miss.—In an effort to enhance pedestrian safety, Mississippi State unveiled several security measures on football gamedays around Davis Wade Stadium as well as a new postgame traffic egress plan.
New steel safety bollards will be placed near pedestrian friendly zones including:
— College View Drive in front of Giles Hall (new location)
— Barr Avenue in front of McArthur Hall (new location)
— North and south intersections of B.S. Hood Drive
— Southeast corner of Davis Wade Stadium at Walker Road
— Intersection of Creelman Street and Tracy Drive
— Intersection of Stone Boulevard and Bost Extension Drive
— Barr Avenue in front of Freeman Hall
— Intersection of Stone Boulevard and Creelman Street
The safety bollards will be placed four hours prior to kickoff (or three hours if there is an 11 a.m. game) prohibiting traffic through those locations.
“With security at a high priority around public venues across the nation, we are making an effort to provide pedestrian-safe areas around our stadium entrances with the installation of safety bollards,” MSU Senior Associate Athletic Director/Event and Facilities Management Jay Logan said. “We urge our fans to plan ahead with this new initiative and to be prepared for changes for arrival and departure on gameday.”
Fans are encouraged to view MSU’s full traffic egress plan here. New this year is the addition of Hail State Boulevard, which will improve traffic flow heading south following the game.
The following roads will be closed beginning four hours prior to kickoff:
— Creelman Street (from Tracy Drive to Stone Boulevard)
— Stone Boulevard (from Bost Drive to Bully Boulevard)
— Barr Avenue (from Bost Drive to College View Drive)
— College View Drive (from Bailey Howell Drive to Barr Avenue)
A full list of road closures and shuttle location pickups is available here.
SEC Clear Bag Policy
Fans are reminded of the SEC’s league-wide clear bag policy this season. Fans are encouraged not to bring any types of bags inside SEC stadiums during football games; however, the following outlines bags that are permitted:
— Bags that are clear plastic, vinyl or PVC and do not exceed 12" x 6" x 12"
— One-gallon clear plastic freezer bags (Ziploc bag or similar)
— Small clutch bags, with or without a handle or strap, that do not exceed 4.5" x 6.5" (approximately the size of a hand)
— An exception will be made for medically necessary items after proper inspection at gates B and I of Davis Wade Stadium.
— Full details are available at HailState.com/clearbag.
Golf Cart/Low-Speed Vehicle Policy
Fans also are reminded that all privately owned golf carts are expected to operate in the same manner as an automobile or other motorized vehicle.
— All golf carts must comply with Mississippi Motor Vehicle and Traffic regulations. (See Miss. Code Annotated Title 63-1-1 seq.)
— Operators of private golf carts must possess a valid driver’s license and proper insurance identifying the vehicle driven.
— All privately owned golf carts operated on campus must possess a valid license plate.
— Privately owned golf carts may only be operated on streets open for public traffic. Privately owned golf carts will not be allowed access to roadways closed prior to game time, such as Creelman Street, Barr Avenue, B.S. Hood Drive, and Stone Boulevard.
— Without exception, private golf carts are prohibited on any grass or any tailgating areas, such as the Cullis Wade Depot lawn, Fan Fare area, the Junction, West Lawn tent area, or other areas on gameday.
— Privately owned golf carts may not be driven alongside any closed road or on any sidewalks or grass.
— Privately owned golf carts must possess a license plate and have a valid Bulldog Club Parking Pass or Public Paid Parking Pass to park in campus lots on gameday. As with automobiles, golf carts may not exit and re-enter reserved or pay lots on gamedays.
— Violation of these rules could result in the issuance of traffic citations and other penalties, as outlined by state laws and/or university policies.
— Privately owned all-terrain, four wheel, farm utility, “gators” or other side-by-side vehicles are also prohibited on campus.
Fans are encouraged to visit MSU’s new A-Z guide on all stadium and gameday policies at HailState.com/gameday.
Follow @maroonalert on Twitter to be informed about emergency situations.
MSU is Mississippi’s leading university, available online at www.msstate.edu.