Going to the Ohio State Buckeyes’ first game of the season this Saturday? Leave early.

Construction on State Route 315 will cause traffic delays that are expected to be even more severe after the game than before. Fans leaving the games – especially the night game vs. USC – could find it takes twice as long to exit campus as in the past. Vehicles parked closest to the stadium will likely take the longest to exit.

Due to the State Route 315 construction, there may be changes to inbound and outbound traffic patterns from game to game. Please anticipate changes in these traffic patterns, understanding that patterns will be different from years past, and follow the directions of the traffic officers that will be available to direct you around any construction detours.

In general, fans planning to travel south after the game should plan to park in lots south of Ohio Stadium; fans wanting to travel north should park in lots north of Ohio Stadium.

A color-coded map is available at http://tp.osu.edu/Maps/FootballParkingMap.pdf

Additional information regarding the State Route 315 construction is available at the Ohio Department of Transportation’s web site, http://www.BuckeyeTraffic.org/315

To avoid campus football traffic, there are several alternatives to parking on central campus:

Park and Ride
Ohio State has arranged a new Park and Ride option at the City Center Garage (Rich & High Streets) in downtown Columbus. The garage can accommodate 3,600 cars. Parking costs $10 and includes shuttle service directly to and from University Hall on campus, just east of Ohio Stadium.

Free bus service from West Campus begins six hours prior to kickoff and continues until one hour after the game. Shuttles pick up and drop off fans at Mount Hall on West Campus and the Sisson Hall footbridge located just west of Drake Union and Ohio Stadium.

The Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) provides parking and transportation to and from all home football games. Fans can park at the COTA parking area at either the Crosswoods (north of Worthington) or the Ohio Expo Center, located just off I-71 at 17th Ave. The shuttle service, which will operate three hours before and two hours after the game, will drop off and pick up at Neil Ave. and 17th Ave., just a few blocks from Ohio Stadium. The parking fee is $5 per vehicle. Roundtrip bus fare to and from Ohio State is $4 per adult (children up to 12 years of age ride free – limit three children per family).

Bike to the game
The “Pedal Instead” program provides bicycle valet service during the Ohio State home football games. Bicyclists are provided with a “claim check” and can retrieve their bicycles after the game. Donations for the service are accepted. The Pedal Instead Bike Corral is located on the east end of the Woody Hayes Bridge on the south side of Woody Hayes Drive. If that corral fills, overflow bike parking is in the basketball courts south of Drake Union.

Getting to campus
Parking lots tend to fill early on game days. If you are going to the game, you should plan on arriving several hours prior to kickoff.

At least two hours prior to game time, some streets on and around campus become one-way, going toward the Stadium. After the game, traffic patterns will be reversed, going away from the Stadium.

State Route 315 is reduced to two lanes in both directions between I-670 and North Broadway. Fans approaching from the south on 315 can exit at Lane Ave. Fans approaching from north will be directed to exit at Ackerman Road, Lane Ave, or Kinnear Road.

In addition, High St. north of campus (between Lane and Arcadia) is under construction and reduced to one lane in both directions. Henderson Rd., about three miles north of campus, is eastbound between Starret Rd. (just east of State Route 315) and High St.

Interstate 71, located about two miles east of campus, is not affected by road construction east of and remains an alternative for motorists.

New Ohio State radio station offers information
Motorists coming to Ohio State can tune to 1650-AM, a new low-power radio station the university will use to provide for directions to campus landmarks and events. The station went on the air in June and can be heard on and near the campus. On gameday, tune to 1650-AM for directions to and from Ohio Stadium, as well as directions to the Ohio State Medical Center and Ohio State Veterinary Hospital.

Day of Game Parking Information
Public parking is available in any “Day-of-Game” lot on a first-come, first-served basis at a charge of $10 per vehicle (no charge with a current OSU parking permit). These parking lots include parts of the Polo Field lot, Ag Campus lots, Fawcett Center, Buckeye lots at the Schottenstein Center, and West Campus lots. Free bus service from West Campus begins six hours prior to kick-off and continues for one hour after the game.

Campus garages available for public parking include the Ohio Union North & South, Arps Hall, South Cannon, 9th Ave. East & West, 11th Ave., and 12th Ave. facilities.

Disability Parking
There are more than 800 spaces in the lots north of St. John Arena (for those who will travel north after the game). To reach these spaces, enter campus from High St. and proceed west on Woodruff Ave. There are another 800+ spaces located in the Neil Ave garage, just south of Ohio Stadium (for those who will travel south after the game). To access these spaces, enter campus from the south along Neil Ave.

For parking access, motorists should prominently display a valid disability permit and follow the officer’s directions. All spaces are available on a first-come, first-served basis and require that the registered owner of the state placard (along with the current registration for the state disability placard) or OSU disability permit be present in the car. Franklin County Sherriff’s officers will be checking placards at both locations. Anyone using a placard without having the registered owner in the car will be unable to park and subject to a citation.

A $10 parking fee or valid OSU parking permit is required to park. Shuttles will provide continuous adapted transportation service to the east side of the Stadium beginning six hours before kickoff continuing through one hour following the game from both locations.

Recreational Vehicles/Camper Parking
All RV parking on the Ohio State campus is through pre-sold passes only. The cost per game for a reserved RV parking space is $90 and is only sold in advance through the Athletics Department website, www.ohiostatebuckeyes.com. Spaces are all pre-assigned, and the designated spaces are held for the permit holder until 90 minutes prior to kick off. There will be no day-of-game, on-site sales of RV parking available. The lots open at 5 a.m.

RV/campers with permits who arrive before the lots open or RV/campers without a campus parking permit may park at the Ohio State Fairgrounds on a first-come, first-served basis. COTA shuttles are available to provide transportation to the campus before, during and after the football game. Please see RV Parking for more information.

Season Parking Permits
Individuals who have purchased a season parking permit from the Department of Athletics or Transportation & Parking Services will park in reserved lots located around Ohio Stadium, French Field House South, Sisson Hall, the North Polo field, lots south of Lincoln Tower, the Schottenstein Center and the Riverbank lots west of the Olentangy River. The Northwest, Tuttle Park Place, and North Cannon (Medical Center) garages are also season parking permit garages.