DALLAS — Traffic on the day of the Red River Rivalary is not normal – not in Dallas, not in North Texas, and not in Southern Oklahoma.
The Cotton Bowl seats more than 90,000 people, with a large portion of those tickets going to UT fans, OU fans, and those who just want to watch a football game on a Saturday afternoon at Fair Park. Many Sooner fans drive in for the day or weekend from Oklahoma.
Large portions of Interstate 35, I-35E and Interstate 30 will see traffic slow to a crawl at times on the morning of the game. In past years, traffic has consistently slowed from DFW to north of the Red River.
Then, there is the massive number of Longhorns fans heading up from Central Texas. This will impact I-35E northbound traffic, as well as eastbound traffic to I-30.
The State Fair of Texas is also in full swing, with Big Tex potentially having the best view of Saturday’s Red River Rivalry, if only the world’s largest cowboy had the ability to turn around towards the Cotton Bowl.
Navigating around Fair Park
One viable option to avoid getting stuck in traffic is DART Rail services. Free parking is available for riders at all DART bus and rail stations’ park-and-ride facilities, and it will bring you to the front gate of Fair Park, where the Cotton Bowl is located. Typically, the light rail runs every 20 minutes, however DART adds additional services on the day of the big game.
Ride share has become a popular option for UT and OU fans within the last several years. The pick-up and drop-off location for Fair Park is still off Haskell Avenue at 4206 Gurley Ave.
If you plan to drive to the game and find parking, give yourself at least a two-hour window. With an 11 a.m. kickoff time, it’s best to arrive early as game ticket holders will have to go through more than one security line.
To find out everything you need to know, including how to avoid the longest lines and what you can and can’t bring with you inside the stadium, click here. The State Fair will open early on Saturday to allow fans to arrive and hang out before the game.
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