Groveport Police Chief Gary York has a word of caution for those not attending "The Gathering of Mustangs and Legends" air show at Rickenbacker on Sept. 27-30.
"My advice is, if you’re not going to the air show, stay away from the area and intersections around (Rickenbacker)," said York.
In his report to Groveport Village Council on Sept. 17, York stated the Groveport Police Department’s "primary role during this event will be traffic only, with officers working traffic at State Route 317 and Groveport Road as well as State Route 317 and Saltzgaber Road."
York noted State Route 317 is one of three main arteries into and out of Rickenbacker that will have to handle crowds of 75,000 to 125,000 people each day of the four day event.
Traffic patterns in and around Rickenbacker will change on Sept. 29 and 30 to accommodate the thousands of vehicles expected in the area.
According to Franklin County Sheriff’s Department Major Al Mann, State Route 317 from Shook Road to Port Road will be closed Sept. 29 and 30 until the air show ends for the day. Motorists not attending the event, or who do not have business on the base, will be diverted off Alum Creek Drive to Rohr Road.
York said when the event lets out for the day, both lanes of State Route 317 from Alum Creek Drive to Groveport Road will be northbound only and southbound traffic on State Route 317 will be temporarily stopped at Groveport Road.
"Our plans are to have extra officers on duty," York said. "The change in direction is an attempt to get people out of the area a lot faster. It’s going to have some affect, but shouldn’t be too big of a problem as long as people pay attention to the signs."
Other Groveport news
•On Aug. 24, Groveport Councilwoman Donna Drury and Village Administrator Jon Crusey presented Motts Military Museum Director Warren Motts with the first of ten $25,000 annual contributions from the village to the museum that will go toward the museum’s purchase of land located directly north of the facility. Council approved the contribution plan on June 11.
•York reported that Franklin County Emergency Management and Homeland Security notified the village that the tornado siren at Main Street and Hendron Road was not functioning, possibly due to a lightning strike. He said repairs to the siren are expected to be made soon.
(Messenger Staff Writer Linda Dillman contributed to this story.)
