How to navigate Lincoln's big day

By the Lincoln Journal Star

More than 100,000 people are expected to descend to the downtown area Saturday for the Nebraska State Fair and the Husker football opener.

If you happen to find yourself downtown for the fair, the game, or any other reason, there are a few — OK, more than a few — key things to keep in mind:

Busiest time

Kickoff for the season opener against Western Michigan is at 6 p.m. A Funny Experience Comedy Show begins at 7 p.m. at the State Fair’s Open Air Auditorium.

Naturally, you can expect congestion downtown before and after these events.

Because of the usual traffic congestion after games, Mayor Chris Beutler encouraged fans to “linger in Lincoln” and enjoy dining, shopping and entertainment downtown and in the Haymarket.

Recent construction

The Harris Overpass, which carries O Street traffic between downtown and West O, will remain closed for much of the football season. Instead, enter downtown on Rosa Parks Way or follow the detour on Sun Valley Boulevard to Cornhusker Highway.

The Big X: The south leg of the elevated roadway near the Devaney Center opened from Y to Vine Thursday. The east leg remains under construction. Vehicles using the east entrance to the state fairgrounds will be routed through the area with cones, and officials have worked out plans to minimize traffic disruptions.

Traveling into Lincoln

There are several projects on Interstate 80 and highways near Lincoln. These projects may require lane shifts, reduced speed limits or lane reduction.

Contractors will minimize lane closure on home game days.

Interstate 80 will have two lanes open in each direction, and all lanes will be open on highways.

To check your routes before you leave home, call 511 or log onto transportation.nebraska.gov and check the traveler information portal, the 511 current travel map, weather and other info.

Interstate 80

•  I-80 exits can be congested on game days. Visitors are encouraged to use U.S. 6, U.S. 34 and the West Bypass as alternate routes.



• I-180 to 56th Street will have two lanes open in each direction with a reduced speed limit.  



• The US-34/I-180 southbound ramp to eastbound I-80 is closed.  



• I-80 from the Mahoney Interchange to Omaha will have three lanes open in each direction. 



• All I-80 lanes from Utica to Lincoln will be open. 



• I-180 from Cornhusker Highway to I-80 will be open.



• Those using I- 80 who plan to park in the Haymarket Park lots should use the airport exit (399). 



• Parking downtown? Use Ninth Street/downtown exit (401).

Lincoln-area highways

• There is a closure on Nebraska 79 from Raymond Road to U.S. 34.



• U.S. 6 from Gretna to Lincoln and from Dorchester to Lincoln will have all lanes open.



• U.S. 77 will have all lanes open on game day north and south of Lincoln. The U.S. 77 / Nebraska 92 bridge over Silver Creek east of Wahoo is scheduled to be open.

Downtown

• Downtown drivers should be aware of bike lanes on 14th Street from L to R streets and on 11th Street from Q to K streets.



• Drivers may experience congestion on O Street between 21st and 22nd. The temporary road there was reduced to one lane each way. The bridge is expected to open in early September.

Street closures and changes

• Stadium Drive west of the stadium will be closed to all traffic.



• Passenger drop-off and pick-up will not be allowed in front of the stadium before or after the game. Fans can be dropped off and picked up at 10th and Charleston and 12th and R.



• Only StarTran buses and those using UNL Lot 12 or handicapped parking will be allowed west of 16th Street on Vine.



• Charter buses will park on W Street between 14th and 16th.



• The taxi stand is at 14th and Vine streets.

Post-game traffic patterns

• 10th Street is one-way northbound from Military Avenue to Sun Valley Boulevard.



• Eighth Street is one-way southbound from S to N streets.

State Fair parking

The State Fair parking lots will not be available for football fans to use for this game.

Parking at State Fair Park is free. Fair visitors are encouraged to use the entrance off 27th Street, because most parking is on the east side of the fairgrounds.

The fair also is offering a free shuttle services. Two buses will run in a loop between Bed, Bath and Beyond, 5040 N. 27th St.; the North 27th Street Plaza, 3901 N. 27th St.; and State Fair Park from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.

UNL parking for State Fair visitors is $5.

Reserved parking

The city recommends reserving pre-paid, event parking through lincoln.ne.gov and through parkitdowntown.org. 

Football parking locations and fees are:

• City-County lot, 10th and K streets — $6 on site, $7 online



• Carriage Park, 1120 L Street, and Cornhusker Square, 1220 L Street — $9 on site, $10 online



• Center Park, 1100 N St.; Lincoln Station South, Seventh and P streets; Lumberworks, 711 O St.; and University Square, 101 N. 14th St. —  $11 on site, $12 online



• Haymarket, Ninth and Q streets; Iron Horse, Seventh and Q streets; Market Place, 10th and Q streets; and Que Place, 1111 Q St. —  $12 on site, $13 online

Maps and other parking information are available at lincoln.ne.gov and by calling the parking office at (402) 441-6472.

UNL game day parking

Details and maps are available at http://parking.unl.edu (keyword: football).

Most parking lots on the UNL City Campus are reserved for those who have paid reservations on game days. Paid public parking on City Campus is available at $10 per stall at the 17th and R garage.

Parking also is available at the following UNL areas for $10:

• 14th and New Hampshire



• 14th and R streets



• 1410 Q St.



• Harper Schramm Smith Food Service, 14th and Y streets



• 940 N. 17th St.



• 17th and R streets (southwest corner)



• Anderson Hall, 16th Street between P and Q streets



• 19th and Q streets



• 18th and R streets



• Beadle Center, 19th Street north of S Street



• 1820 R St.



• 900 N. 22nd St.



• Business Services Complex, 17th Street north of Y Street

Handicapped parking

Parking for people with disabilities is available for $10 per vehicle on a first-come, first-served basis in Booster Lots 5 and 9 on the south side of Salt Creek Roadway between Stadium Drive and 14th Street northeast of Memorial Stadium.

Lots 5 and 9 have a free cart shuttle service to the stadium. This shuttle is radio-equipped and will be stationed during the game at the northeast corner of the stadium and on the east side for those patrons needing to return to their vehicles.

Contact the Athletics Ticket Office at 472-3116 for pre-purchase opportunities.

Charter and shuttle bus parking is available on W Street between 14th and 16th streets.

Wheelchair accessible parking is available at UNL Lot 8, Stadium Drive and Holdrege, for $10 per vehicle. 

Handicapped parking also is available at:

Mabel Lee Hall (vans only) — $10

• 14th and Avery garage — $10, with free cart shuttle



• 14th and Avery surface lot — $10, with free cart shuttle



• 14th Street between Vine and W streets, free on-street parking where available



• 17th and R garage — $10 with bus service

Parking wrap-up

• A number of private lots also are available. Rates vary, and some offer season passes.



• Downtown parking meters are enforced from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday.



• Vehicles blocking drives, parked too close to the intersection, parked on public right of way or interfering with vehicle and pedestrian traffic will be towed.

Shuttles

In addition to its regular routes, StarTran will provide its Big Red Express service on Husker game days starting two hours before kickoff with the last shuttle running 45 minutes before kickoff from five locations:

• Westfield Gateway, 61st and  O. Buses load in the area north of JCPenney, south of Circuit City.



• North Star High School, 5801 N. 33rd St. (six blocks east of North 27th and Folkways Boulevard)



• Holmes Lake, 70th and Normal, north end of the lake.



• SCC, 8800 O St., parking lot on south side.



• Southwest High School, South 14th and Pine Lake Road

Shuttles will return to the lots after the game and leave from the east side of the stadium.

The cost is $4 each way for adults and $1 each way for children age 12 and under, and passengers will need exact change. 

Big Red Express season ticket packets, good for round-trip travel for all eight home games, are available for $48, a savings of $16. 

Season ticket books are available by mail. Send a check payable to StarTran, 710 J St., Lincoln NE 68508. For details, call 476-1234.

Memorial Stadium policies

• The Athletic Ticket Office and Huskers Authentic generally open four hours prior to kickoff.



• Stadium gates open 90 minutes prior to kickoff.



• Smoking is not allowed. Those who want to smoke must leave the stadium to do so, but will be allowed back with a re-entry pass. Re-entry passes are available at each gate. People re-entering the stadium are subject to rescreening.



• The following items are prohibited: Guns, knives, backpacks, glass, cans, coolers, Thermoses, video cameras, umbrellas and pets. People will be asked to return such items to vehicles or home. Purses, fanny packs, and small camera bags are allowed but are subject to search. Plastic water bottles are permitted but may be inspected. Ticket-holders who are not carrying items subject to inspection can use the express lanes. Fans carrying such items must use the other lanes.



• Alcohol is not allowed in the stadium. And consumption of alcohol is prohibited in city and university parking lots and property.



• Throwing any object in the stadium is prohibited. Rules allow game officials to penalize the home team if objects are thrown onto the playing field.



• The Stadium Assistance Team, wearing orange jackets bearing the word “Security,” can help with problems. Should fans become separated from friends, they should report to any First Aid station for assistance.



• Lost and found areas are located at the south end of the east and west concourses.

Husker Nation open

The Husker Nation Pavilion will be back for its fifth year at Ed Weir Stadium at the northeast corner of Memorial Stadium. It will be open three hours prior to kickoff and have food vendors, games, a big-screen TV, bands, the Husker Sports Network pre-game show, the Kids Zone, face painters, appearances by former players, cheerleaders and the Cornhusker Marching Band.

Stadium Drive on the west side of the stadium will also have food vendors and game-related activities.

Change with student tickets

• UNL students will again be seated in Sections 9 through 14 in the southeast corner of Memorial Stadium, but this year, all student seating will be general admission rather than reserved seating.



• Students with tickets for East Stadium seating (Sections 9, 10 and 11) must pick up a required wristband at the tent east of Gate 23 beginning three hours prior to kickoff each game. When stadium gates open, those students may enter through Gate 21, 22 or 23. Wristbands are not required for students with tickets for South Stadium seating (Sections 12, 13 and 14, entering through Gate 24).



• UNL students must present a valid N Card with their ticket for admission.



• Required ticket validation for non-UNL students using UNL student tickets is available at the Athletic Ticket Office on the ground floor of the Stadium Drive Parking Garage. Validated student tickets for East Stadium seating require a wristband.



• Fans are asked to help the “Big Red Go Green” this fall by depositing plastic bottles and cups in marked recycling binds located by every trash receptacle.

Reminders

• Alcohol is prohibited on city streets, parking lots, garages and sidewalks, including the trail between Haymarket Park and Eighth Street.



• The sale of tickets, souvenirs or other items is not allowed city streets or sidewalks.



• Lock your vehicle and put valuables out of sight.



• Grills are not allowed in city parking garages.