HELENA — The Last Chance Stampede & Fair drew big crowds last week, but some drivers on Custer Avenue were left idling as people tried to make their way to the carnival rides and rodeo.
The streets surrounding the fairgrounds are under the jurisdiction of the Helena Police Department (HPD), while the Lewis & Clark County Sheriff's Office (LCCSO) has control of the area within the fairgrounds.
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HPD says they have a plan for getting traffic out of the area, but they are unable to do much when it comes to traffic getting into the fairgrounds.
"My phone started ringing," said Lewis & Clark County Sheriff Leo Dutton. "People were angry."
According to a Facebook post from the Stampede & Fair, some people heading to the Jeff Dunham show on Thursday experienced issues with ticketing and seating.
Under that post, numerous people reported waiting for hours in traffic as they made their way to the fairgrounds, with some arriving with only five to ten minutes left of the performance.
"We heard their complaints, several of them, that they were not able to get there in time," Dutton said. "There's some solutions that we can work on together."
Solutions that have come to mind for Sheriff Dutton include putting another stop sign or a temporary stoplight at the intersection of Custer Avenue and Henderson Street.
Dutton said, "The traffic that got backed up on Henderson was because of nonstop traffic on Custer."
One factor that contributed to heavier traffic was the Babe Ruth All-Star Baseball Tournament taking place at the Bob Ryan Helena Exchange Club Park, located across the street from the fairgrounds, which Dutton says could be mitigated with more planning.
"We could do better, and with some conversations and ideas, we'll do better," said Dutton.
Sheriff Dutton says his office will meet with HPD, Last Chance Stampede, and fair planners later this week to debrief on how everything went and what changes could be made for next year.
The Last Chance Stampede & Fair is offering refunds to those impacted by the issues, and you can check your eligibility by emailing ktenney@lccfairgrounds.com.
MTN tried to contact the Last Chance Stampede & Fair organizers for comment, but they have not yet responded.
