Penn State graduation, move out expected to cause heavy traffic. What to know
Penn State’s spring semester is coming to a close this weekend, which means the area is expected to experience significantly heavy traffic through Sunday.
With both move out and commencement ceremonies taking place through Sunday night, the university and State College Borough have issued separate news releases to inform residents and visitors of short-term detours, parking changes and route alterations.
Here’s what you should know:
2 exit closures along major highways
These closures — and accompanying detours — were also in effect during Blue-White Weekend but, given the rainy weather and lack of attendance, the impact wasn’t fully felt.
That’ll likely change this weekend.
The separate temporary closures include both the Innovation Park/Penn State University off-ramp exit along U.S. Route 322 westbound and Exit 161 westbound (Bellefonte) on Interstate 80.
Penn State took special care to highlight the former, noting the suggested detour at the top of its commencement landing webpage. The university advised westbound travelers on Route 322 to continue past the closed exit, Take Exit 71 (Woodycrest/Toftrees) and then follow Waddle Road to I-99 northbound, before following it back to Route 322 eastbound. The other detour, involving I-80, has PennDOT asking motorists to simply take Exit 158 (Milesburg) before getting on I-80 eastbound to get to the open eastbound exit.
The project involving I-80 has to do with a highway interchange project, and the detour was supposed to last only between January and March. Instead, it was recently extended through July after delays due to previous “severe winter weather conditions.” The other project on U.S. Route 322 began in March and is still expected to last until early June.
Advisories & other route changes
Avoid area around Burrowes Road (if possible): Two-way traffic will still be maintained here but, because students are able to load their vehicles for move out on the east side of the road — between Pollock and Curtin roads — Penn State is asking drivers to avoid this area “if possible.” University housing closes 4 p.m. Saturday for all students in East Halls and a handful of other residence halls, and students living elsewhere on campus will see their housing close 4 p.m. Sunday.
Curtin Road to be closed between University Drive and the entrance to Jordan East: According to the university, this will be closed “throughout most of the commencement ceremonies” to allow for safer pedestrian access. The first ceremony on the east side of campus will be 4 p.m. Friday, and the last will be 5 p.m. Sunday.
Fraser Road (not Fraser Street) is restricted: The on-campus road, not to be confused with the street of the similar name in downtown State College, will be restricted to northbound traffic through Sunday. (Fraser Road intersects Pollock Road near the West Residence Halls.) Drivers can enter via Pollock Road, and bollards will be removed to allow for exit on Curtin Road.
Multiple CATA changes around campus: Due to the expected heavy traffic on Burrowes Road, there will be no CATA service on this road through Saturday. That impacts the stops at Deike Building, Waring Commons, Rec Hall, Westgate Building and Elliott Building (White Loop and AC routes impacted). CATA is also currently on its Reduced Service Light Schedule through Sunday, which means no Red Link service and limited White Loop service on the weekend. From May 11-16, CATA will then go to its Reduced Service schedule, which means Blue Loop service (except on Sundays) but no White Loop or Red Link service.
PSU issues recommendations for east side of campus Saturday: With Saturday commencement ceremonies at both Bryce Jordan Center and Pegula Ice Arena, the university is expecting especially heavy traffic — something it warns visitors about every year. As a result, the university is urging drivers Saturday to avoid the Park Avenue exits from Routes 220 and 322, as well as University Drive, and instead use the Route 322 Business exits on Atherton Street. And, from Atherton Street, drivers are encouraged to approach Eisenhower Auditorium from the west side of campus, using Park Avenue or Curtin Road to reach Shortlidge Road.
Parking for move out
Borough changes from Friday-Monday: Starting noon Friday and continuing until 2 a.m. Monday, the borough will not enforce the “No Parking 2 a.m. to 6 a.m.” and the one- and two-hour restrictions. All other code violations will continue to be enforced, and on-street parking lot meters will still be enforced from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
University lots available to students moving out: All student parking lots will allow 30-minute loading with vehicle four-ways on. In addition, the following faculty/staff lots will also be made available for loading through Sunday:
- Brown E
- Green N
- Yellow H5 and 6 (sections near Hastings Hall and Nittany Lion Softball Park)
- Yellow J
- Yellow T
- Yellow D surface lot
- East Deck (ground level only; reserved through Saturday)
Where to park for Penn State commencement
Parking for graduation will be available at designated areas for free. An interactive map for each hosting venue and its parking can be found online — including for the Bryce Jordan Center, Eisenhower Auditorium and Pegula Ice Arena. The free designated parking areas include:
Bryce Jordan Center (Available Friday-Sunday)
- Jordan East: Located east of the Bryce Jordan Center and accessible from Porter Road (via Park Avenue or College Avenue) and Dauer Drive (via University Drive)
- Stadium West: Located west of Beaver Stadium and accessible only from Park Avenue
- Porter North: Located north of Medlar Field at Lubrano Park, and accessible from Porter Road (via Park Avenue or College Avenue)
- ADA parking: Available at Jordan East, in the northwest corner near the Bryce Jordan Center’s Gate B (accessible from the intersection of Porter Road and Curtin Road); available at a section of Lot Orange F, between the Bryce Jordan Center and Jordan East (accessible from Dauer Drive via University Drive); and available at the southernmost row of Stadium West along Curtin Road (accessible only from Park Avenue).
Eisenhower Auditorium (Available Saturday)
- Eisenhower Parking Deck: Located on Eisenhower Road, adjacent to the auditorium.
- ADA parking: Available at every level of Eisenhower Parking Deck, with elevator access in the south corner.
Pegula Ice Arena (Available Saturday-Sunday)
- East Parking Deck: Located on Bigler Road near East Halls. Attendees can park here two hours before their ceremony, as tickets allow five hours of parking at no charge.
- ADA parking: Available in the section of Yellow H3 parking at Shields Building, which is on Curtin Road just north of Pegula.
Penn State commencement schedule
Penn State is expected to award about 15,085 diplomas universitywide this weekend, based on estimates as of April 29. That breaks down to 208 associate; 12,421 baccalaureate; 1,683 master’s; 252 doctoral; 144 medical; and 23 medical/graduate degrees.
Please note that an asterisk* denotes a ceremony for undergraduates only.
Thursday
5 p.m. — Military Honor Cord Ceremony (Hintz Alumni Center)
Friday
4 p.m. — Schreyer Honors College Medals Ceremony (Bryce Jordan Center)
7 p.m. — College of Engineering* (Bryce Jordan Center)
Saturday
9 a.m. — Smeal College of Business* (Bryce Jordan Center)
9 a.m. — College of Information Sciences and Technology* (Pegula Ice Arena)
1:30 p.m. — Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications* (Bryce Jordan Center)
1:30 p.m. — College of Earth and Mineral Sciences* (Pegula Ice Arena)
1:30 p.m. — College of Arts and Architecture* (Eisenhower Auditorium)
5 p.m. — College of the Liberal Arts* (Bryce Jordan Center)
5 p.m. — Ross and Carol Nese College of Nursing* (Eisenhower Auditorium)
Sunday
9 a.m. — College of Health and Human Development* (Bryce Jordan Center)
9 a.m. — College of Education* (Pegula Ice Arena)
1:30 p.m. — Eberly College of Science* (Bryce Jordan Center)
1:30 p.m. — College of Agricultural Sciences* (Pegula Ice Arena)
5 p.m. — The Fox Graduate School; master’s candidates (Bryce Jordan Center)
5 p.m. — The Fox Graduate School; doctoral candidates (Pegula Ice Arena)
A full list of each ceremony’s details, including livestream options and commencement speakers, is available online.
