So you're planning to catch the Atlanta Braves on opening weekend at SunTrust Park. How are you going to get there?
Hint: If you haven’t already bought tickets and parking in advance, chances are you’re not — and not only because the first two games are sold out.
BY THE NUMBERS: SunTrust Park v. Turner Field
For weeks, the Braves have urged fans to break the habit of showing up and hoping to get a ticket and parking spot. Getting fans to plan ahead is a key to their strategy to keep traffic moving in an area that's already congested at rush hour.
Here’s what you need to know about getting to SunTrust Park this weekend and for the rest of the season.
Driving
The Braves want fans to use the Waze traffic app to guide them to the stadium and to their reserved parking spot. The idea is to minimize people driving around aimlessly looking for a place to park.
The team has provided Waze the addresses of its parking lots, while Cobb County will provide real-time traffic updates. They say Waze will have the most updated information, making fans’ drive as smooth as possible.
The team also stresses that fans shouldn’t just navigate to the intersection of I-285 and Cobb Parkway. There are 14 “access points” to the stadium, counting local roads. If you’re supposed to park on the east side of I-75, for example, there’s no need to come west of the interstate.
Parking
The team's main message on parking: Reserve it in advance.
None of the team's lots will accept cash, and for the first two home games they also will not accept credit or debit cards. That means you'll need to reserve parking at the team's web site in advance.
At Turner Field, parking was concentrated around the stadium. But it's widely dispersed at SunTrust Park — all the better to alleviate congestion in the immediate stadium area. Again, the Waze app will be crucial, the team says. It can guide you directly to the driveway of your lot.
The lots furthest from the stadium will be served by a team shuttle. Cobb County will operate a shuttle in the Cumberland Mall area to whisk fans to the game. There are also pedestrian bridges over I-285 and over I-75 at Windy Ridge Parkway.
The Braves control about 14,000 parking spaces — far more than at Turner Field.
The other option: There are about 2,000 spaces operated by private property owners that accept cash (you can find more information at www.cobbcounty.org). But the Braves and Cobb County say you're testing your luck if you're counting on getting one of those spots. They may be snapped up early.
Braves parking lots open at various times. Consult the team's web site for more information.
Other ways to get there
The Braves have partnered with Uber to provide special game-day service. SunTrust will have a designated Uber zone where drivers can drop off and pick up fans. And Uber is implementing a new personal identification number system that will allow fans to catch any available driver instead of trying to figure out which car they're supposed to ride in.
Finally, there are some public transportation options. MARTA Bus Route 12 runs from the Midtown station to Cumberland Mall. From there, the Cumberland District Circulator runs to SunTrust Park.
In addition, CobbLinc Bus Route 10 runs from MARTA’s Arts Center station to the Cumberland Transfer Center. From there the Cumberland District Circulator runs to SunTrust Park. However, the last bus leaves the transfer center at 11:20 p.m., and Bus Route 10 does not run on Sundays.
You can find more information on SunTrust Park at www.ajc.com/sports/suntrust-park.
About the Author
