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The anticipation of homecoming runs high on the campus of Florida A&M University in the month of October. With alumni and others flocking to Tallahassee from near and far, many students are concerned about the traffic that comes with the crowds.
According to WTXL, in 2019 pre-COVID, FAMU’s homecoming brought in over 10,000 visitors and $3.5 million in economic impact. With multiple main roads such as Apalachee Parkway, Tennessee Street and Pensacola Street in high demand, many students have concerns with arriving to and from work and school — much less getting where they want to be on time. Many students have discovered different backroads to help with traveling to save time.
Shakinah Presley, a fourth year psychology student from Leesburg, shared her thoughts on the traffic that will come redefine the city for the next few days.
“I know that people will be coming into town this week for homecoming, so I will be using several backgrounds to cut down traveling time,” Presley said. “Back roads have saved me time, because I do not have to sit at all the lights and avoid all of the morning traffic going to work and classes. With me staying off campus, I typically use the Appleyard back road to get to school, so I plan on using that road during homecoming.”
Chanel Dowers, a first-year graduate student majoring in occupational therapy, plans to skip the delays of traffic during homecoming season by using several back roads.
“Being that homecoming causes so much delay in getting to and from home due to traffic, I plan to leave earlier than I would during a regular weekday and continue to take my usual back roads to avoid traffic and potential vehicle accidents as well,” Dowers said.
Dowers is strategic about which back roads she uses.
“I live on West Tennessee Street and in my opinion that is one of the busiest streets I encounter everyday. I usually take Ausley or Eppes Road in hopes of getting to my destination quicker when leaving from home,” she said.
For new students, finding back roads to avoid traffic is hard, especially during homecoming season.
Tyonna Jones, a transfer student from Alabama A&M, has concerns traveling during homecoming.
“This is my first homecoming, so I am scared to travel in the traffic,” Jones said.
“I am learning to use different back roads from my apartment to my job to make traveling easier on me to make sure I make it to school and work on time. I currently reside in the Boulevard so my roommates are teaching me different back roads to help me get to and from campus.”