Date:

April 8, 2004

For More Information Contact:

Diane Gonzolas, Citizen Information Center, 441-7831

Captain Joy Citta, Police Department, 441-7751

Scott Opfer, Public Works and Utilities, 441-7851

Mayor Coleen J. Seng today said the Police and Public Works and Utilities Departments have made plans to accommodate traffic and pedestrians attending the UNL spring football game at 12:30 p.m. Saturday, April 17 at Memorial Stadium. Stadium Drive will close at 7 a.m., and the Husker Pavilion will open on that street at 9:30 a.m. The stadium will open at 11 a.m. for general admission seating.

"We expect up to 60,000 Husker fans to stream into our downtown area for the spring game this year," said Mayor Seng. "At the same time, traffic in the area is being affected by construction, including the Antelope Valley Project. We welcome fans to our downtown, and we are taking extra steps to make sure they remain safe."

The Lincoln Police Department has assigned 22 officers to direct traffic before and after the game. Those coming from out of town who plan to park west of the stadium, including the Haymarket Park parking areas, are encouraged to use the airport or West "O" Street exits. Those parking downtown are urged to used the downtown exit. The West Bypass to Capitol Parkway West is also recommended as a route into and out of downtown Lincoln.

StarTran will offer its Big Red Express service from three locations:

• Westfield Shoppingtown (Gateway), 61st and "O"
• Home Depot, 27th and Cornhusker
• SouthPointe Pavilions, 27th and Pine Lake Road.

Downtown parking meters are enforced until 6 p.m. Saturdays. The parking section of the City Public Works and Utilities Department is offering $5 pre-paid parking at three of its garages:

• Que Place Garage, 1111 "Q" Street
• Market Place Garage, 935 "Q" Street
• Haymarket Garage, 840 "Q" Street

All other City parking facilities will be open, and normal parking rates will apply. Attendants at the three garages offering pre-paid parking will have information about on-line parking reservations, season parking passes, parking locations and other information for the 2004 Husker football season. Maps and other parking information are available at lincoln.ne.gov or or by calling the parking office at 402-441-6472.

Parking will be available in the University facility at 17th and "R" streets at normal rates. The INS lot at 8th and "S" streets will charge $5 for cars and $10 for RVs.

Handicapped parking is available on the surface lot at 19th and "R" streets with a University shuttle service beginning at 11 a.m. Handicapped parking also is available at the City parking facilities, 14th and Vine streets, and the UNL lot at 10th and Holdrege.

The Antelope Valley Project has resulted in these closures:

• North 17th Street from "Y" to Holdrege streets is closed to through traffic. "Y" Street is also closed between 16th and 17th streets. All northbound and southbound traffic is using 16th Street (now two-way) from the Holdrege intersection to the new "Y" Connector (about one block south of the existing "Y" Street).
• Two lanes of Vine Street from North 22nd to North 27th streets are closed for improvements. Two traffic lanes in the area remain open for two-way traffic. The intersection of North 26th and Vine streets is open, but left turns are not permitted from any direction.
• North 14th Street is closed just west of State Fair Park from Bessie Street to Saunders Avenue.

The speed limit has been lowered to 25 miles per hour in construction areas.

The fans will include about 7,500 elementary and junior high students from the region who will take a drug-free pledge at half time of the spring game. The buses carrying the students will be routed to the lot at University lot at 14th and Holdrege streets.

Other events happening in Lincoln on April 17 include the Novartis Run with two-mile and 10K events beginning at 9 a.m. in the Holmes Lake area; University track meet at 2:30 p.m.; and a Husker softball game at 3:30 p.m.