Franklin Street in Chapel Hill is heading into a crowded Saturday night, with Halloween and Miami FL vs UNC set to pull large numbers of people downtown at the same time. Officials are preparing for heavy pedestrian traffic, extra congestion and a bigger public safety presence.
Joe Vizzari said Sutton's Drug Store has been on Franklin Street for more than a century, and he sees the weekend as a chance for the area to feel like it once did. He said the street still feels festive, and that the college crowd and local businesses help bring back some of the old energy.
That is why the timing matters now. UNC is scheduled to play No. 1 Miami at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, and the game will air on ABC11, putting football traffic on top of Halloween crowds that are already expected to fill the street. Local businesses expect a boost, and several plan to stay open a little later to catch the rush.
Law enforcement officials said their focus will be on crowd management and pedestrian safety, a reminder that the same crowds that make Franklin Street lively can also make it harder to move through. Police are urging visitors to allow extra travel time and watch for pedestrians, while additional police officers and firefighters will be on hand Saturday night.
Roy Richards said Franklin Street gets crowded on game days and on bigger Friday or Saturday nights, but that Halloween brings something different. Olivia Vorhis said there is already a lot of traffic on game days, and that Halloween will probably make it worse. For businesses and officers alike, the night is shaping up as both a draw and a test.
