County officials already planning logistics of Luke Bryan's September show in Millersport

MILLERSPORT − Local officials knew about a month before the official announcement Luke Bryan would make his fourth Fairfield County appearance on Sept. 27 as part of his Farm Tour 2024.

Therefore, they have plenty of time to plan the show's logistics at the Miller Family Farm at 10750 Millersport Road.

"We tend to focus on traffic, obviously," county emergency management agency director Jon Kochis said. "That's what people have the most trouble with. A lot of that is tied to the site itself and the concert promoter and how they set up their parking. We don't take charge of that internal parking. All we do is provide the traffic pattern to their entrance."

But Kochis said a positive aspect is this year's show is at the same spot as last year.

"So we already had a traffic plan for this site and we know what worked and what didn't," he said. "So we can make adjustments and probably have a better traffic flow. The problem still is the quantity of people. There may be 15,000 to 20,000 people there. Before the concert, they arrive over several hours. After the concert, they all want to leave in the same five minutes."

Kochis said officials may use more of the side roads for traffic and that traffic takes care of itself once people reach Ohio 37.

Kochis said local officials already have a planning meeting set with the concert promoter and others. He said the goal is to make easier to get in and out of the venue, but that he's not promising anything.

"People need to just plan to be patient," Kochis said. "The biggest mess is inside the grounds. When a person comes in they're parked in order and it's a very logical process coming in."

But exiting is a different story, he said.

"When they leave everyone seems to scatter and crisscross and drive through ditches and go crazy," Kochis said. "If people just line up in that similar way they came in when they exit, it would go quickly and smoothly. If people go outside what the normal flow of traffic is it does create additional problems."

Despite some traffic hassles, Kochis said it's good Fairfield County draws large events like Bryan's concerts and more. He said Bryan has actually befriended the Miller family that has hosted him three times so far.

"We're often told we're the best host city as far as safety, response, coordination and planning (for Bryan shows)," Kochis said. "They've actually taken a lot of our plans and procedures that we've introduced to them and made other cities incorporate them."

jbarron@gannett.com

740-681-4340

Twitter/X: @JeffDBarron