Nearly 60,000 people are expected to attend Ohio State University’s spring commencement ceremony May 10, between nearly 12,000 graduates and their loved ones.
Those in the area should anticipate immense pride, overwhelming joy – and traffic jams.
Whether you’re attending commencement or just trying to navigate campus, drivers should expect traffic delays with so many attendees.
Commencement begins at noon, but doors to Ohio Stadium open at 10 a.m. Drivers can expect increased traffic along the 315 corridor, as well as along Lane Avenue, High Street, Olentangy River Road, Ackerman Road and Neil Avenue.
Parking is available on a first-come, first-served basis in the Sisson Hall lots and any of the permit zones around Ag Campus, the Schottenstein Center, or the student residence halls. No permit is required. The Arps, Ohio Union, Neil Avenue and Lane Avenue garages will be available at no charge.
Disability parking is located in the East Stadium lot on a first-come, first-served basis.
Parking garages are likely to fill up fast, so its encouraged that guests use the West Campus parking lots and take a complimentary shuttle bus to the stadium.
Shuttle buses will run from West Campus parking lots to the Coffey Road fields beginning at 9:00 a.m. until one hour after the ceremony. The Coffey Road fields are approximately a half-mile or a 10-minute walk, from Ohio Stadium.
Planning to Uber? Guests arriving by a ride-share service should be dropped off at the Schottenstein Center. Pickup after the ceremony will be at Neil Avenue and 19th Avenue.
Higher education reporter Sheridan Hendrix can be reached at shendrix@dispatch.com and on Signal at @sheridan.120. You can follow her on Instagram at @sheridanwrites.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Going to Ohio State spring commencement? Expect traffic jams.
Reporting by Sheridan Hendrix, Columbus Dispatch / The Columbus Dispatch
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
