Exodus The
third year of Exodus— coordinating thousands of cars leaving
Burning Man— was a success! Thanks to well-laid plans, the
hard work of the Exodus crew, and cooperation from the citizens
of Black Rock, the delay leaving the city decreased again this
year. There was a short to zero wait time on Sunday and most of
Monday, and the longest wait on Monday afternoon, the peak period,
was under two hours. In fact, exiting the city went so smoothly
on the playa that it created backups in the town of Gerlach. We’ll
work on that next year.
Exodus mounts two major operations: directing traffic out of the
city, and flagging cars through intersections once on the pavement.
Exodus flaggers got official training, and are now certified by
the Nevada Department of Transport. They all worked long, hard
hours in the hot sun to give the citizens of Black Rock City a
quick and safe departure from our fair city. Thin staffing at times
brought out the heroic in flaggers, with some working multiple
shifts day-long in the merciless sun.
Improvements this year included a wide-vehicle exit lane and a
well-functioning entrance lane. A new exit road design eased merging
and reduced the temptation
to cut in line. DPW did a great job working with us to receive food donations
at the roadside. Hard-working cleanup volunteers ate and drank well in the month
after the burn, thanks to your many generous food contributions.
Exodus coordinated with BMIR, Burning Man Information Radio, to provide timely
reports of traffic flows and advice on whether to leave or wait a while. Radio
reporting will be even better next year, so plan on tuning in!
This year we created a website, http://exodus.burningman.com/, to help in
our efforts. This valuable tool will continue to grow in function and use in
the
coming year. We also took advantage of the Burning Man discussion and announce
lists, to foster a more engaged and informed Exodus crew. Now we’re planning
for a successful 2003 Exodus, and vigorously recruiting a larger crew. If your
Burning Man experience feels unfinished come Monday, September 1st, 2003, come
on out to the road and volunteer. We will put you to work!
Submitted by,
Odwally, Exodus Manager
Click here to read the 2001 Ranger Operations report. 