Athletics

Parking, traffic and transit information announced for Homecoming football game

Credit: Penn State Athletics. All Rights Reserved.

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State football will host Illinois at noon Saturday, Oct. 23, at Beaver Stadium. Gates will open at 10 a.m., and fans are encouraged to arrive early. Penn State Transportation Services has announced the following parking, traffic and transit adjustments ahead of the game.

Football game parking 

Football parking areas near Beaver Stadium (between Bigler Road and Mount Nittany Medical Center) are managed by Penn State Intercollegiate Athletics and require a football permit, which is only valid in its assigned lot. Lots will open this week at 7 a.m. For more information, visit gopsusports.com, call 1-800-NITTANY, or email golions@psu.edu

Additional on-campus parking on football game days is available through Penn State Transportation Services at the following locations:

  • EastHUB and Nittany decks: $40 (payable by credit card upon exiting at pay-on-foot or in-lane machines).
  • Eisenhower Deck: $40 (cash only paid upon entering).
  • West Deck: $25 (payable by credit card upon exiting at pay-on-foot or in-lane machines).

Tailgating is strictly prohibited at campus parking decks.

Standard parking rates ($1 per hour) will apply for the first two hours of parking at the East, HUB, Nittany and West decks on Saturday, after which the event rates will take effect. Event parking at campus parking decks is permitted through 6 p.m. Sunday.

Weekend visitor parking

Weekend event parking rates are in effect for overnight parking on home football game weekends beginning on Thursday. Visitors wishing to park overnight must park at the East, HUB, Nittany or West decks. Overnight visitor parking is prohibited at all other parking areas.

Standard parking rates ($1 per hour/$12 daily maximum fee) will apply for the first 24 hours parked for those parking on Thursday and for the first 12 hours parked for those parking on Friday, after which the following event weekend rates will take effect and be due upon exiting each facility:

  • Thursday arrival: $50.
  • Friday arrival: $45. 

Visitors arriving on Friday may also park at the Eisenhower Deck beginning at 5 p.m. for $45, payable through ParkMobile (zone number 95110).

Weekend event parking is permitted through 6 p.m. Sunday.

Game day parking closures/faculty, staff and student parking access 

The following campus parking lots will close at midnight Friday night in advance of Saturday's home football game:

  • Commuter lots (Jordan East, Stadium West, Porter North)
  • Porter South
  • Orange L (all sections)
  • Yellow H (all sections)
  • Yellow M
  • Yellow V
  • Orange A OPP (east and west)
  • Orange A Katz
  • Orange B Softball
  • Orange H (all sections located north of Hastings Road)
  • Orange O Park Ave.
  • Silver G
  • Silver J (all sections)

In addition to these areas, the east half of Lot Orange U located just east of USB I and II also will be reserved beginning at midnight Friday night.

All vehicles, including department vehicles, must be removed from these areas no later than midnight Friday night. Access to these areas will reopen after outbound football traffic has ended.

On home football Saturdays, faculty/staff parking permits are honored at all faculty/staff parking lots located west of Bigler Road, and student parking permits are honored at all areas located west of Bigler Road that normally allow student parking on weekends (see the lots highlighted in yellow with the E/W symbol on the student parking interactive map).

For a more convenient exit from campus after the football game and to provide greater capacity for visitors at the parking decks, faculty/staff and student permit holders are encouraged to use surface parking areas instead of parking decks on football game days.

Email parking@psu.edu or call 814-865-1436 for more information related to on-campus parking managed by Penn State Transportation Services.

Increased fine amounts for parking violations on event weekends 

Drivers are reminded that all vehicles must be parked within all lines of a legal, nonreserved parking space. Vehicles parked on the roadways, curbside ends of rows, etc. are subject to ticketing and/or towing at the owner’s expense. All parking areas require either head-in parking or for the vehicle to be parked so that the license plate faces the drive aisle. Please check lot entrance signage for the requirement for each parking area. All space-specific signage, such as ADA, service and reserved spaces, remain in effect and are strictly enforced. In addition, increased fine amounts are in place for campus visitors parked in violation of University parking regulations during designated event weekends.

Traffic restrictions

Beginning at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, one-way traffic patterns and traffic restrictions will go into effect on Park Avenue, Porter Road and other roadways near Beaver Stadium. Those attending the game with a prepaid football parking permit must follow the route assigned for their parking area and parking zone. Visit Penn State’s Game Day Parking and Traffic site for more information.

Access to the East Parking Deck and Orange faculty/staff parking areas located north of Services Road will only be available by traveling eastbound on Park Avenue from Atherton Street. Except for permit holders attempting to access these areas, Park Avenue should be used only by football permit holders with West Zone (traveling eastbound on Park from Atherton Street) and East Zone (traveling westbound on Park from I-99/322) parking. Traffic on Porter Road will be limited only to football permits holders with South Zone parking.

Curtin Road will be closed between Bigler Road and Porter Road throughout the day.

Faculty, staff and students attempting to access central campus parking areas should do so by traveling northbound on Shortlidge Road or Burrowes Road from College Avenue. Traffic on and near campus will be heavy and unnecessary vehicle travel is discouraged. Drivers traveling to campus should allow extra time to reach their destination.

Transit service and adjustments

CATA’s Blue Loop, White Loop and Red Link service will operate on home football Saturdays, but with the following adjustments to service:

  • Blue Loop: From the bus stop at College Avenue and Allen Street the Blue Loop will follow normal routing to Curtin Road where it will turn right on Bigler Road and right on Pollock Road where it will resume normal routing.
  • White Loop: From the bus stop at Beaver Avenue and Allen Street the White Loop will follow normal routing to University Drive where it will turn left on Hastings Road, right on Bigler Road, and left on Curtin Road where it will resume normal routing.
  • Red Link from West Campus to Innovation Park: The Red Link traveling to Innovation Park will follow normal routing on Curtin Road where it will turn right on Bigler Road, left on Hastings Road, right on University Drive, right via exit ramp to College Avenue, right on College Avenue, left onto 322 west, right via exit ramp to Park Avenue where it will travel to Mt. Nittany Medical Center and resume normal outbound routing to Innovation Park.
  • Red Link from Innovation Park to West Campus: The Red Link traveling to West Campus will service Innovation Park and travel 322 east to College Avenue, turn right on College Avenue, right on University Drive, left on Hastings Road, right on Bigler Road, left on Curtin Road where it will resume normal routing to West Campus.

The CATA Downtown (DT) Football Shuttle has been suspended for the remainder of the season. Visit the CATA website for South Atherton Football Shuttle routing, stops, hours of operation and fares.

Email cata@catabus.com or call 814-238-CATA for more information on CATA campus and community transit service. Real-time bus information and arrival predictions are also available through the myStop and Penn State Go apps.

Fullington Trailways also will be operating football shuttles this season, with service from several local locations and Blair County. 

Last Updated October 19, 2021