It’s Homecoming weekend at Penn State, and that means parking and traffic changes will be in place on campus and in State College for the annual parade on Friday and Saturday’s noon game against Illinois at Beaver Stadium.
Here’s a look at what to expect.
Homecoming Parade
The parade moves through campus and downtown State College starting at 6 p.m. on Friday and roads along the route will be closed prior to the start through the conclusion.
The parade organizes in the Orange B parking area near the Nittany Lion Softball Park and the fields east of Medlar Field. Porter Road between Curtin Road and the southernmost entrance to the Jordan East parking area will be closed from 4:30 p.m. until parade units have left the area.
Curtin Road will be closed from 4:30 p.m. through the conclusion of the parade
The following roads will be closed from 5:30 p.m. until the parade ends:
- Curtin Road between University Drive and Bigler Road
- Bigler Road between Curtin Road and Pollock Road
- Pollock Road between Bigler Road and Shortlidge Road
- Shortlidge Road between Pollock Road and East College Avenue
- College Avenue between Shortlidge Road and Burrowes Road
- Burrowes Road between College Avenue and Curtin Road.
For spectators, the parade follows this route:
- From on Curtin Road and travel west, crossing University Drive, where the parade will be joined by units that have formed in Orange B and on the IM fields north of the IM Building
- West on Curtin Road to Bigler Road
- South on Bigler Road to Pollock Road
- West on Pollock Road to Shortlidge Road
- South on Shortlidge Road to College Avenue
- West on College Avenue to Burrowes Road
- North on Burrowes Road to Curtin Road
- The parade will disperse at the Burrowes/Curtin intersection
Parking
Paid visitor parking will be available on campus for $1 an hour at the Nittany, East, West and HUB decks. Vehicles will not be permitted to exit the HUB deck from 5:30 p.m. through the end of the parade.
For specific restrictions and directions for individual campus lots on Thursday and Friday, visit transportation.psu.edu.
Parking downtown is available at the Beaver, Fraser and Pugh garages, McAllister Deck, Allen Lot and Beaver Lot.
CATA Bus
CATABUS service to and from the following locations will be unavailable for the duration of the parade: East Halls, Wagner Building, IM Building, Shields Building, the Centre County/Penn State Visitor Center, Hastings Road, Curtin Road (including the Pattee Transit Center), Bigler Road, Pollock Road, the White Building, College Avenue between University Drive and Atherton Street, Burrowes Road and the Stadium West and Jordan East parking areas.
Riders of the A, HM, HU, K, N, NE, R, V, W, WE, XB, and XG routes can catch the bus at temporary stops on Park Avenue. The White Loop and Red Link will also service Park Avenue and transport riders to west campus to catch outbound express buses. The NE, P, RC, VE, and WE will pick up riders at the bus stops on White Course Drive. The Blue Loop will not operate during the parade.
Campus Shuttle service will end at 5 p.m. Friday.
Men’s hockey game parking
Parking for the Penn State men’s hockey against Niagara at 7 p.m. on Friday will be at the Stadium West, Jordan East and Porter North lots with pre-paid parking available for $5.50 through psu.parkmobile.io until 11:59 p.m. Thursday, or day-of cash parking for $10.
The Yellow H Shields and Wagner lots will be reserved for men’s hockey premium permit holders, who will have access to their lots from 4:30 until 5:30 p.m. After 5:30 p.m., premium permits will be accepted in the general parking lots Jordan East and Stadium West. Pegula Ice Arena doors will open at 5 p.m. to accommodate early arrivals.
State College Borough Parking Changes
The State College Parking Department will not enforce the “No Parking 2 a.m. to 6 a.m.” and the one- and two-hour restrictions beginning at 2 a.m. on Saturday. The restrictions will resume at 6 a.m. on Sunday.
No lawn parking is permitted and all Pennsylvania Vehicle Code and “No Parking Anytime” violations will be enforced. Cars in violation will be subject to ticketing and/or towing.
All metered parking will also be enforced from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Special event parking rates of $2.25 an hour — with a maximum charge of $32 for 24 hours — will be in effect for off-street lots and garages.
Game Day Parking and Transit
One-way traffic patterns will go into effect at 8:30 a.m. Saturday on Park Avenue, Porter Road and other roads near Beaver Stadium.
Fans attending the game with a prepaid football parking permit must follow the route assigned for their parking area and parking zone. For day of game parking sale, subject to availability, follow the E Zone signage to Park Avenue then follow signs to the parking pass sale location is in Lot 100 of Innovation Park. Patrons will then follow directions to their assigned lot.
Additional on-campus parking on football game days is available through Penn State Transportation Services at:
- East, HUB and Nittany decks: $40 (payable by credit card upon exiting at pay-on-foot or in-lane machines).
- Eisenhower Deck: $40 (cash only paid upon entering).
- West Deck: $25 (payable by credit card upon exiting at pay-on-foot or in-lane machines).
Access to the East Deck will only be available by traveling eastbound on Park Avenue from North Atherton Street.
Increased fine amounts are in place for campus visitors parked in violation of university parking regulations during designated event weekends.
For individual campus lot closures and restrictions, check here.
Transit adjustments
CATA has suspended the Downtown Football Shuttle for the remainder of the season. The South Atherton Shuttle will continue to operate.
The Blue Loop, White Loop and Red Link service operate on home football Saturdays, but with the following adjustments to service:
- Blue Loop: From the bus stop at College Avenue and Allen Street the Blue Loop will follow normal routing to Curtin Road where it will turn right on Bigler Road and right on Pollock Road where it will resume normal routing.
- White Loop: From the bus stop at Beaver Avenue and Allen Street the White Loop will follow normal routing to University Drive where it will turn left on Hastings Road, right on Bigler Road, and left on Curtin Road where it will resume normal routing.
- Red Link from West Campus to Innovation Park: The Red Link traveling to Innovation Park will follow normal routing on Curtin Road where it will turn right on Bigler Road, left on Hastings Road, right on University Drive, right via exit ramp to College Avenue, right on College Avenue, left onto 322 west, right via exit ramp to Park Avenue where it will travel to Mt. Nittany Medical Center and resume normal outbound routing to Innovation Park.
- Red Link from Innovation Park to West Campus: The Red Link traveling to West Campus will service Innovation Park and travel 322 east to College Avenue, turn right on College Avenue, right on University Drive, left on Hastings Road, right on Bigler Road, left on Curtin Road where it will resume normal routing to West Campus.
