City of Eugene, OR

30/08/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 31/08/2024 00:28

UO football Game Day Driving Tips

SUMMARY: Saturday's UO Football game brings excitement and traffic to the area. Here are a few tips from EPD for a successful commute.

The Eugene Police Traffic Safety Unit would like your game day commute to go as smooth as possible. By following these suggestions you can reduce your commute time, ease congestion around Autzen Stadium, and reduce the risk of traffic crashes. And, although the traffic markings on MLK Boulevard recently have changed, those driving near the stadium should follow game-day traffic markings, pylons and signage that EPD and Eugene Public Works establish for each Autzen event.

1.) Ride the Bus - First Student school buses offer several convenient park and ride locations throughout Eugene/Springfield at an affordable price. First Student buses are given priority into and out of the area of Autzen Stadium on game days, which greatly minimizes travel time for fans.

2.) Have a Plan - Fans coming to the game should pre-plan their travel routes and where they will park when they arrive. Normal traffic patterns around Autzen Stadium are dramatically changed on game days and will limit your ability to drive freely through the area. The newly installed Bus and Turn (BAT) lanes will have no measurable impact on game day traffic. Game day traffic patterns make necessary adjustments to all usable traffic lanes to handle the increased traffic on gamedays.

3.) Obey the Law - It's vital that fans observe basic traffic laws when commuting to and from the game. The traffic cone patterns around the Autzen Stadium area on games days are considered traffic control devices and cannot be arbitrarily disregarded. Failure to obey these cones patterns or the officers who are directing traffic, may lead to a $300 citation.

4.) Be Patient - On game days, approximately 60,000 people come to the area near Autzen Stadium. Trying to get that many people into and out of the area is a huge undertaking and takes time. By allowing plenty of travel time and expecting some delays you will improve your overall game day experience.

5.) Don't Drink and Drive!!! - Local law enforcement agencies want football fans to enjoy themselves but to do so responsibly. By not drinking excessively and designating sober drivers, fans can help prevent tragedies from occurring.

Here are a few tips to help you navigate easier in traffic:

In order to ease congestion in the Ferry Street/Coburg Road area on the day of the game, we recommend that motorists not traveling to the game use alternate routes to access the area during their commutes. Alternate routes such as the Washington/Jefferson Street Bridge, Delta Highway, Cal Young Road, Harlow Road, Goodpasture Island Road, and Green Acres/Crescent Avenue are several ways motorists can access the Coburg Road area without competing with traffic from the game.

Other transportation options include walking and biking to Autzen Stadium along the numerous pedestrian paths and bike lanes throughout Eugene, or taking the bus.

After the game, Traffic Safety Unit officers encourage motorists to take the Club Road exit to downtown as an alternate option to access northbound Delta to Beltline, instead of having to travel north on Coburg from MLK. If more motorists use this route, traffic in other areas around the stadium will be less impacted by traffic from the game.

The Eugene Police Traffic Safety Unit, University of Oregon Athletics, and City of Eugene Traffic Engineering have partnered to smooth egress and decrease frustrations of fans leaving Autzen Stadium. Flaggers will be in place on Garden Way from MLK to Harlow Road to help move traffic safely and efficiently to the area of Gateway Street to access Interstate 5 in both directions.

The Eugene Police Traffic Safety Unit would like your commute to the game to go as smooth as possible. By following these suggestions you can reduce your commute time, ease congestion around Autzen Stadium, and reduce the risk of traffic crashes.