University Star

San Marcos residents can expect to see congested roadways and lane closures, according to university and city officials. The University and San Marcos Police Department, along with emergency services, are attempting to alleviate game day traffic with several road closures around the newly renovated stadium.

Police will close Eastwood, Mill and West Streets near Aquarena Springs Drive, but only if absolutely necessary, said Adam Rodriguez, administrative sergeant for the University Police Department. Rodriguez said the closures will depend upon traffic at game time.

The primary focus of the plan is a clock-wise traffic loop around the stadium. The loop will run down Aquarena Springs Drive, then right onto the temporary one-way Thorpe Lane toward Hopkins Street, then right from Charles Austin Drive going one-way back to Aquarena.

Rodriguez said the clockwise plan will attempt to relieve some of the congestion coming in from I-35 and Post Road.

Rodriguez said UPD has been planning for the Texas Tech game for months, and the traffic plan officials came up with can be used for every game in the future with adjustments in personnel.
The East and West parking lots of Bob- cat Stadium and the Northeast corner of the Strahan Coliseum lot will be reserved for Bobcat Club donors.

Fans can pay $10 to park at the Mill Street commuter lot, the Thorpe Lane lot, Springtown Shopping center and the Northwest portion of the Strahan Coliseum lot.

The campus shuttle buses will only be stopping at the Speck Street and Woods Street parking garages, while parking closer to the center of campus is free. Buses will drop passengers off on Charles Austin Drive near the baseball fields, the closest area to the stadium to which vehicles will be able to get.

Joe Richmond, director of transportation services, said eight buses will run three hours before the game, allowing for pick up every five to seven minutes.

Richmond said fans going to the game should walk rather than take the bus to the stadium.
“The buses are just going to get caught in the traffic,” Richmond said. “The way to go to the game is to park in the free lots and then walk. That will be the fastest way. There’s a lot of walking involved at any of the major schools where you go to a game.”

Paige Jochen, history senior, said she waited in line for hours to get her free ticket for the first home football game.

“I’m walking because traffic is going to suck and parking is going to suck, so walking makes sense,” Jochen said. “(Traffic) is awful on a normal game day, much less the Tech game, and drinking is a really big factor because we don’t want to drink and drive.”

Rodriguez said UPD will be doubling their normal game day staff in order to handle the crowd. Officers will be stationed around the perimeter of the stadium, with EMS, the fire department and other emergency personnel working near tailgating areas.

“It’s a UPD security event, but we will be getting assistance from outside agencies: San Marcos, Kyle, Buda and Martindale PD, park rangers from the city marshal’s office and some people from Austin,” Rodriguez said.