BUCKEYE NATION: Countdown To Game Day

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Less than 24 hours stand between Buckeye fans and the season opener.

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NBC 4 reported with the FAST FACTS on what fans should know before heading out.

The Football Buckeyes will be taking the field at Ohio Stadium at noon Saturday to take on the Navy Midshipmen in the much-anticipated season opener.

Buckeyes fans are pumped from Ohio Stadium … to the Ohio Statehouse.

“I can't wait. It's going to be awesome,” Breanna Bowlin said.

Go, Bucks,” Governor Ted Strickland said.

Strickland stood alongside OSU President Gordon Gee and U.S. Navy Vice Admiral Jeffrey Fowler Friday to commemorate Navy Week.

“As we cheer on our OSU team tomorrow in the first game of the season, I hope that we all will embrace the spirit of this great matchup,” Strickland said.

GETTING TO AND FROM THE GAME

Before kickoff, though, there are some last-minute details fans will want to keep in mind.

The ’Shoe gates open two hours before kickoff.

Construction along state Route 315 likely will cause more than a few headaches.

Officials said all exit ramps on S.R. 315 southbound will be open and the exit ramp from S.R. 315 northbound to Lane Avenue also will be open.

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

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.

Fans were encouraged to arrive at least two hours before kickoff to park in a campus lot. A spot in the lot costs $10.

Fans who are planning to travel northbound after the game should park in lots on the north end of the stadium.

Those who want to travel southbound should park in the south end.

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

Fans who don’t want to park at the stadium can park at the old City Center garage on Rich and High streets. There's a new $10 park-and-ride option.

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

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 roundtrip 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.

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

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.

All bags will be searched.

You won't be able to bring some things, including bags larger than 14-by-14 inches, chair-back seats, radios without headsets, televisions and banners.

MORE INFORMATION
- 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
- Parking map: http://tp.osu.edu/Maps/FootballParkingMap.pdf

For additional information, stay with NBC 4 and refresh nbc4i.com -- Where Accuracy Matters.
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