Bonnaroo 2022 traffic: What to know before you drive to Manchester

Molly Davis and Rachel Wegner, Nashville Tennessean
·2 min read

The 2022 edition of the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival begins Thursday, which means thousands of music lovers will flood Manchester, Tennessee, from all over the country.

The area in and around Manchester is preparing for increased traffic, and the Tennessee Department of Transportation is coordinating with officials to prepare for the influx of visitors.

Here's what to know about getting to the festival.

Bonnaroo gates open Wednesday night

Bonnaroo will open all of its gates on Wednesday, June 15 at 8 p.m. to allow more time for vehicles to enter the campgrounds. The festival begins Thursday, June 16 and ends Sunday, June 19.

There will be no construction-related lane closures on I-24 near the festival area between 6 a.m. Wednesday, June 15 through 7 p.m. Monday, June 20.

Fans pack the festival grounds at the Bonnaroo in June 2019.
Fans pack the festival grounds at the Bonnaroo in June 2019.

In 2019, some waited up to 12 hours in traffic to enter the festival grounds. Officials and organizers hope to avoid lengthy waits this year.

The festival was canceled in 2020 due to COVID-19. It was also called off last-minute in 2021 after heavy rain and mud made the festival grounds impossible to navigate safely.

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Two lanes of I-24 dedicated to Bonnaroo traffic

The crowd passes around a giant inflatable ball as Moon Taxi performs at Bonnaroo in 2018.
The crowd passes around a giant inflatable ball as Moon Taxi performs at Bonnaroo in 2018.

Exit 111 (SR-55) will be used as the main festival exit. Alternate exits will be used if the interstate becomes congested. TDOT HELP trucks will be on-site patrolling the interstate and state routes throughout the festival region.

Festival traffic will be kept in the right lane and on the shoulder of the interstate, allowing through traffic to use the left lane.

More information on traffic, parking and more can be found at support.bonnaroo.com.

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TDOT adds measures to ease Bonnaroo traffic

Along with the HELP unit patrols and I-24 plans, TDOT said it was taking the following steps to ease traffic and help motorists:

  • TDOT maintenance units will be posted throughout the festival region, and maintenance personnel will be on call all weekend

  • Variable message signs will be in place to warn drivers ahead of delays

  • Median crossovers will be guarded to prevent motorists from parking in the crossovers and blocking emergency vehicles

  • Emergency vehicles will use county roads that will be kept at low volume

  • Temporary communication towers are in place to improve emergency communications

Anyone who needs assistance can call *747 from their cell phone to be connected to a TNSmartWay.com/Traffic.

Travelers can also dial 511 from any landline or cell phone for travel information, or follow TN511 on Twitter at twitter.com/TN511 for statewide travel alerts.

Reach reporter Molly Davis at mdavis2@gannett.com or on Twitter @mollym_davis. Reach reported Rachel Wegner at RAwegner@tennessean.com or on Twitter @rachelannwegner.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Bonnaroo 2022 traffic: What to know about gates, routes and more