Super Bowl: Green Bay subway, regional rail, monorail unable to handle throngs of Packer fans during championship celebration

Green Bay, WI--They came from Sheboygan. They came from Oshkosh and Appleton. They came from Madison, La Crosse and Fond Du Lac. They poured in from Wausau, Wausaukee and Milwaukee. From Keshena, Kenosha, Kewaunee, Kewaskum, Kaukauna, Menomonee Falls, Brown Deer, Pewaukee, Racine, Okauchee Lake, Neenah, Waupaca, Weyauwega, Winnaconne and Ashwaubenon they descended onto Titletown.

All of Wisconsin came out for the party at Lambeu Field earlier today in single digit temperatures and biting wind chills to pay tribute to their beloved Super Bowl champion Packers.

Officials are estimating that the city's population, which is just over 100,000 residents, swelled to well over 2.5 million during the festivities earlier today bringing the metropolis to a complete standstill.

"I got on the subway at the S. Webster Ave stop downtown and there were so many people that they couldn't run the trains. The platform was so crowded that a few people were pushed onto the tracks, but no one got injured," said Greg Bouvier, 54, of Whitewater, WI, wearing a Tony Mandarich jersey. "We all agreed to just walk the half block to the stadium."

This played out all over the city today as many never reached their destination or arrived painfully late and even those on foot had no advantage over those in stuck automobiles, trains or hovercrafts.

"The sidewalks were packed. I couldn't move. I was supposed to meet a bunch of friends over at Titletown Brewery," said Brent O'Malley, 38, sporting a Don Majkowski autographed headband. "I told them noway would I make it. That's like two blocks away."

The GBMAS (Green Bay Metropolitan Area Subway) consists of 18 different lines, averaging 23 miles each in length with two of the lines becoming elevated trains outside of the city's borders. The system moves more than 300,000 transit riders during weekday peak hours.

Titletown Station, the city's main rail station, which connects conveniently with the subway, is the base for the Green Bay Regional Rail System (GBRRS) serving the entire Green Bay metro area. However, it all wasn't enough.

"I tried to take the GBRRS from up north in Pulaski, the train passed the station because it was filled, and so were the next five trains," said Betty Upton of Pulaski, WI. "I decided to hitchhike south along Route 32, made it to the city limits and ran the rest of the way to Lambeau Field--ten miles--after we hit heavy traffic. Just made it for the ceremony in time. Go Pack Go."

Two years ago, City Counil decided to construct the largest monorail system in the world in downtown Green Bay "for the good of all Green Bayians." Yesterday's crowds quickly overmatched the single-railed train that was built with Super Bowl celebrations in mind.

"The monorail was supposed to prevent overcrowding of our transportation system. It was supposed to alleviate pressure on our aging subway and regional rail infrastructure," said Councilwoman Stephanie Voulet, who says she would have never voted for the monorail if she knew what she knows now.

High speed hovercraft service from Milwaukee to Green Bay, a twelve-hour one way trip, was also at capacity and forced to shutdown after 12 pm, stranding hundreds of cheesehead-hat-wearing passengers on frozen Lake Michigan near Sturgeon Bay.


"My buddy just sent me a text message, he's stranded on a hovercraft out in Lake Michigan," said a laughing Dennis Bortent of Green Bay Township, WI. "That totally sucks. He's missing everything. It's kind of funny to, though. We were razzing him a bit. Bratwursts are about to hit the fan ... the hovercraft fan."