Avoiding the Traffic Nightmare of OSU Home Games

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- This Saturday, you're invited to join 104,999 of your closest Buckeye-fan friends for a little event on campus.

And you can do it again six more times until Saturday, Nov. 14.

But, with state Route 315 torn up with construction, how in the world will you get there?

ODOT warns motorists to expect significant delays because S.R. 315 will be down to just two lanes and the speed limit is reduced.

They recommend the "3 Ps: Patience, Plans and Police." Patience for the extra time it will take to get to and from campus. Plan for alternate routes. Police will be managing the traffic as it moves through the area.

On S.R. 315, all of the southbound exits will be open to game traffic. Northbound traffic will only have access to the Lane Avenue exit ramp.

ODOT suggests using Interstate 71 as an alternate route. Or taking U.S. Route 33 to Lane Avenue.

OSU wants to ease post-game traffic by having you to park in the direction you'll be leaving.

If you'll be heading south after the game, park in the lots south of the stadium.

If you'll be going north after the game, park in the lots north of the stadium.

A new, low-power radio station will have continuous traffic information and updates.

1650AM will provide directions to and from Ohio Stadium, the medical center and the veterinary hospital.

COTA plans to ramp up its service around town and to and from its Park-n-Ride locations.

It is also adding a Park-n-Ride at the Ohio Expo Center's 17th Avenue lot.

Express buses will start running three hours before kickoff.

Parking will be $5 per car, and the round-trip bus service will be $4 per adult.

Buses will run more frequently on High Street, Neil Avenue, Hamilton Avenue and Kenny Road. One-way local fares are $1.50.

Ohio State has made its own arrangements to have a Park-n-Ride from the City Center parking garage in downtown Columbus.

The $10 parking fee will include shuttle service to and from campus.

And the Pedal Instead Program will provide bike corrals at all of this year's home games.

The corrals have become more and more popular each year.

Cyclists drop off their bikes with volunteers who will hand them a claim-check.

The volunteers guard the bikes during the game and make sure the bikes are returned to the correct owners after the event.

The main corral will be at the east end of the Woody Hayes bridge, where the road meets the bike path, only a few hundred yards from the stadium.

If that corral fills up, an alternate corral will open at the Cannon Drive basketball courts, across from Lincoln Tower.

The Pedal Instead corrals are free, but they encourage tipping to help fund the program.

And best of all, if you live relatively close to campus ... walk.

Additional informational links:

Ride COTA to the Games: http://www.cota.com/current_promotions-2009OSU_service.asp

Pedal Instead program: http://pedalinstead.org/

S.R. 315 Construction : http://www.BuckeyeTraffic.org/315

OSU Football Parking Map: http://tp.osu.edu/Maps/FootballParkingMap.pdf

More info on OSU parking: http://www.osu.edu/news/newsitem2511

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