Penn State’s fall semester begins on Aug. 25, and State College and the University Park campus are gearing up for student move-in.
Traffic and parking changes to manage the return of thousands of students will get underway this weekend as move-in starts at downtown apartment complexes. Early arrival for on-campus housing begins Monday, and the official campus move-in weekend starts Aug. 21.
State College reminded residents and visitors that the accompanying heavy traffic and restrictions will make for slower travel in and around the borough, particularly during peak times.
“The Borough of State College welcomes students to the community, whether this is their first time here or if they’re moving back after the summer break,” Borough Manager Tom Fountaine said in a statement. “Anyone traveling in State College, particularly in downtown during this weekend, is encouraged to allow for extra travel time, and please be patient.”
Here’s a look at the scheduled changes over the next week.
STATE COLLEGE BOROUGH
Traffic changes
The following travel restrictions will be in place for student move-in:
- Aug. 16-17 – The 100 block of Hetzel Street will be one-way from East Beaver Avenue to East College Avenue (northbound) and restricted to one lane to allow for loading and unloading. Calder Way will have related restrictions at the same time.
- Aug 18-20 – East Calder Way between South Garner Street and Hiester Street will be closed. Hiester Street will be closed from East Calder Way to East Beaver Avenue.
- Aug. 18 and Aug. 23 – Highland Alley from South Pugh Street to A Alley will be closed. A Alley will be one-way from Highland Alley to East Foster Avenue.
- Aug. 20-23 – One lane of West College Avenue from Burrowes Street to Atherton Street will be closed.
- Aug. 22-23 – H Alley will be one-way behind The Graduate apartment building.
Vehicles are not permitted to stop in travel lanes to load and unload unless a specific closure is in place.
Parking changes
The “No Parking 2 a.m. to 6 a.m.” restriction will be lifted from 2 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 18, until 2 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 25. One- and two-hour restrictions in residential neighborhoods will be lifted from 6 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 18 until 6 a.m. on Sunday, August 24.
Lawn parking will not be permitted. All vehicle code violations will be strictly enforced with ticketing and towing, according to the borough.
Street and lot meters will be enforced as usual from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
PENN STATE CAMPUS
Student parking lots
Core student resident parking lots — Lot 22 (Eastview Terrace), Lot 42 (Nittany Apartments), Lot 81 (South/Pollock Halls) and Lot 82 (East Halls)) — will be reserved for 30-minute unloading beginning Sunday night, Aug. 17.
All vehicles must be removed from core student lots by midnight Sunday night. Student permit holders for those areas must move their vehicles to Jordan East or Stadium West, and should return to their assigned lot beginning at 6 p.m. and no later than midnight on Sunday, Aug. 24.
Faculty Staff Lots
From Monday, Aug. 18, through Sunday, Aug. 24:
• Faculty/staff permit holders for Brown E, Green C and Green N must park at the Nittany Deck, Jordan East or Stadium West.
• Permit holders for Yellow H at the Softball Park, IM Building and section near Hastings and Snyder Hall must park at other Yellow H lots, Jordan East or Stadium West.
• Yellow J and Yellow T permit holders must park at Jordan East or Stadium West.
East Deck and Tener Hall Surface Lot
• Level 1 and 2 of the East Deck will be reserved for student arrival unloading only from Saturday, Aug. 16, through Sunday, Aug. 24.
• Yellow D permit holders for the East Deck and the Tener Hall lot, which also will be closed Aug. 16-24, should park at park at Jordan East or Stadium West.
• With heavy traffic expected near East Deck, there may be times when the section of Bigler Road located between Curtin Road and Park Avenue is restricted.
• Hourly parking at the East Deck will be limited.
HUB Deck
• Sections of the HUB Deck parking below the plaza level entrance will be reserved for student arrival unloading only from Monday, Aug. 18, through Sunday, Aug. 24.
• If the deck reaches capacity, Yellow C permit holders can park at Jordan East and Stadium West.
• Hourly visitor parking will not be available. Only YC, ADA and arrival unloading permits will be allowed access to the HUB Deck.
Burrowes Road
• Burrowes Road will be open to the southbound traffic only between Curtin and Pollock roads from Wednesday, Aug. 20, through Saturday, Aug. 23, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day.
CAMPUS TRANSIT
CATA’s full-service schedule, including resumption of White Loop and Red Link service, will begin Monday, Aug. 18 The Campus Shuttle via College Avenue and the Campus Shuttle via Beaver Avenue will continue to operate on their summer schedules through Friday, Aug. 22.
Northbound CATA and Campus Shuttle stops on Burrowes Road between West College Avenue and Curtin Road will not be serviced from Wednesday, Aug. 20, through Saturday, Aug. 23.
During the same time the White Loop will be detoured turn right on the Curtin Road extension from Curtin Road, left on North Atherton Street and left on West Beaver Avenue, where normal routing will resume. For the southbound Atherton Connector detour, buses will continue on North Atherton Street southbound and turn left on West Beaver Avenue, where normal routing will resume.
