AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) – There are some changes this year to try to break up traffic and parking issues during the Masters, especially in the National Hills area.

“Last year we had some significant issues with parking in right-of-ways, it was dangerous,” said Sean Frantom, Augusta District 7 Commissioner. “I physically had to get out there and we had to get some cars moved, I mean you couldn’t even get through in some of the streets.”

This year, curbs in the neighborhood have been painted yellow to deter people from parking on them.

Parking at Electrolux and behind Hooters – and shuttles for Augusta National employees off Riverwatch Parkway is also new.

“I think that’s gonna lessen some of the traffic and hopefully the congestion that we typically have through National Hills,” Frantom said.

Those who live in the neighborhood think that it might be too soon to tell, but they have noticed a difference.

“Parking always gets really bad this time of year,” Jacob Lott said. “Man, everything just fills up, especially living around here, you can’t go anywhere. I mean, people just try to go anywhere they can find. So opening up those big parking lots has definitely helped with the traffic.”

And parking lot attendants tell us traffic hasn’t been too bad so far.

“There are shuttle buses coming in like every ten minutes, they’re dropping people off, coming in to check in and check out,” said Asia White, a parking lot attendant. “So it’s not been a lot of traffic, but we have a rush hour from 3-6 so that’s when a lot of people try to come in.”

Workers at the Masters and people who live in the area say they are equally nervous and excited for the rest of the week, and hope everything runs smoothly.