Lincoln Ready for Gameday Visitors

Published on September 02, 2025

Lincoln Transportation and Utilities today announced that Lincoln is ready to welcome visitors for another season of University of Nebraska football. The first of the Huskers’ seven home games begins at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, September 6, against Akron. 

Important reminders: 

  • The University of Nebraska enforces a clear bag policy at Memorial Stadium. Visit huskers.com/operations for a comprehensive guide to Husker Game Day.  
  • Visitors should lock their vehicles and move valuable items out of sight. 
  • Alcohol consumption is prohibited on City streets, parking lots, garages, and sidewalks, including the trail between Haymarket Park and Eighth Street.  
  • Alcohol consumption is prohibited on State property. 
  • The sale of tickets, souvenirs or other items is not allowed on City streets or sidewalks.  
  • Officers will issue citations for violations that inhibit the use of the street or sidewalk.  
  • The sale of food, flowers or balloons requires a sidewalk vendor permit. 
  • UNL is a smoke/tobacco-free campus. 
  • City-managed e-scooters will not be operable during all home games. 

Traffic resources: 

  • Lincoln Transportation and Utilities, the Lincoln Police Department (LPD), the UNL Police Department and Nebraska Department of Transportation (NDOT) work together to improve the traffic experience on game day. The City provides traffic control on Lincoln streets, while NDOT helps coordinate traffic on I-180 and I-80. Coordination efforts include traffic planning, pre- and post-game messaging, planned lane and ramp closures, and incident management. 

Priority routes: 

Visitors to Lincoln are encouraged to arrive early and use the following routes: 

  • I-80/Highway 77 (from west) – Take exit 397, follow Hwy. 77 south, take the Rosa Parks Way exit east, and follow South 10th Street into downtown 
  • Highway 77 (from south) – Take the Rosa Parks Way exit east, and follow South 10th Street into downtown 
  • I-80/Cornhusker Hwy. (from east) – Take exit 409, follow Cornhusker Hwy. and turn south on State Fair Park Drive and continue west on Salt Creek Roadway 
  • I-80/I-180 – Take exit 401a, merge onto I-180 south, then merge onto Ninth Street. Expect delays using this route. 
  • 27th Street – Take exit 403, merge onto 27th Street, turn east on Cornhusker Highway, and turn south on Salt Creek Roadway. 
  • Lincoln residents traveling downtown from the north should follow Antelope Valley Parkway to Salt Creek Roadway. Drivers from the south should follow Normal Boulevard/Capitol Parkway to “N” Street downtown or use South 10th Street to downtown. 

Street projects that may impact gameday traffic: 

  • North Ninth Street between “S” and “Q” streets, and North 10th Street between “Q” and “R” streets, and between “L” and “N” streets, will have lane closures throughout the season. 
  • Several sidewalks near the stadium will be closed. Pedestrians should walk in designated areas only. 

Traffic Tips: 

  • Those using I-80 who plan to park in the Haymarket Parking Garages will experience less congestion if they enter Lincoln using the airport exit 399. Travelers should then follow Cornhusker Highway, travel south on North Antelope Valley Parkway, and travel west on Salt Creek Roadway. 
  • Those using I-80 who plan to park in the Haymarket Park (baseball stadium) lots will experience less congestion if they enter Lincoln using the airport exit 399. Travelers should then follow Cornhusker Highway, travel south on North First Street, continue on Charleston Street, travel south onto Sun Valley Boulevard, and turn east onto Line Drive into Haymarket Park. 
  • Stadium Drive west of the stadium will be closed to all vehicles. Passenger drop-off and pick-up will not be allowed in front of the stadium before or after the game. 
  • Uber, Lyft and taxi drop-off and pickup will be located at the bus stop in front of Henzlik Hall, 1430 Vine St. 
  • Charter buses will park on “W” Street between 14th and 16th streets. 

Downtown notes: 

Visitors entering Lincoln on southbound I-180/Ninth Street, must use “N” Street and Pinnacle Arena Drive to access the Haymarket, the Haymarket parking garages and Pinnacle Bank Arena. To improve traffic flow, the following changes will be in effect before and after the games: 

  • Two hours before kickoff, southbound Ninth Street will be closed starting at the roundabout at Ninth Street and Salt Creek Roadway near Memorial Stadium. The street will reopen once vehicles have left the stadium area after the game. 
  • Two hours before kickoff, “R”, “Q” and “P” streets will be closed to traffic from Ninth Street. Drivers coming from I-180 will have to use “N” Street to access the Haymarket area.  
  • 16th Street from Vine to “Q” streets will be closed to northbound traffic postgame. 
  • Postgame traffic on northbound 10th Street from “Q” to “T” streets will be restricted to I-180. No traffic will be allowed to pass the stadium on 10th Street. The street will reopen once pedestrians have left the stadium area after the game. 
  • Following the game, westbound “Q” street will be closed at North 11th Street. 
  • Following the game, southbound traffic on North 10th Street south of Charleston Street will be closed. 
  • Following the game, for those that have parked in the Haymarket garages, Seventh Street from “N” to “M” streets will be one-way southbound and “M” Street from Seventh to Ninth streets will be a one-way eastbound. 
  • The Haymarket Farmers Market area will close from 5 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Saturday through October 11. North Seventh and Eighth streets as well as Canopy Street will close from “P” to “Q” streets. “P” Street will close from Seventh to Eighth streets and “Q” Street will close from Seventh to Canopy streets. 

City parking: 

Parking meters are enforced Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and are operated with coins, credit cards, or the Passport Parking app. Most meters are $1.50/hour and 10-hour meters are $.75/hour. Visitors may park at any meter all day for only $15 using the Passport app and entering “Zone 90.” The following fine system is in effect: 

  • If the citation is paid within seven days from when it is written, the fine is $10. 
  • If the citation is paid after seven days, the fine is $25. 

Visitors can reserve pre-paid football parking in the Haymarket and other City garages and lots through parkandgo.org. Customers can now reserve these spots in real time up to 30 minutes before kickoff. The Michigan game on September 20 will be $10 more than the prices listed here. Limited parking is available for $35 in the VIP Parking Garage attached to the southwest side of Pinnacle Bank Arena. City parking areas are credit card only (no cash) and include: 

  • County-City lots, South, 701 S. 10th St. and West, 802 “J” St. – $20 on-site if available. 
  • County-City lots, North, 10th and “K” streets – $20 on-site if available. 
  • Carriage Park, 1120 “L” St., Cornhusker Square, 1220 “L” St., and Center Park, 1100 “N” St. – $25 on-site and online 
  • Green 2, 530 “P” St., Blue 3, 535 “P” St., Lumberworks, 700 “N” St. – $30 on-site and online 
  • Red 1, 555 “R” St., University Square, 101 N. 14th St. – $30 on-site and online 
  • Sun Valley Boulevard and Charleston Street lot near Oak Lake Park – vehicle parking is $10 on-site and online; RV parking is $70 on-site and online 
  • North 14th and New Hampshire streets lot – vehicle parking is $20 on-site and online, and RV parking is $125 on-site and online 
  • Sharp Lot, 14th and “N” streets – $20 on-site and online 

Grills are not allowed in City garages. Grills are allowed in the lots at 14th and New Hampshire streets and Sun Valley Boulevard/Charleston Street. Visitors planning to stay Friday night on City property must purchase their parking online and display the permit in their RV overnight. 

University parking: 

The University accepts credit and debit cards. Grills are prohibited by fire code at all UNL garages. To pre-purchase parking, please use ParkMobile. For details on ParkMobile, visit https://unl.parkmobile.io/. Parking is available at the following University areas on game days: 

  • 17th and “R” streets garage – $25 day of game 
  • 19th and Vine streets garage – $25 day of game 
  • 14th Street and Avery Avenue garage, limited space – $25 day of game 
  • 1410 “Q” St. – $25 
  • 16th and “X” streets – $25 
  • Anderson Hall, 16th Street between “P” and “Q” streets – $25 
  • Beadle Center, 19th Street north of “S” St. – $25 
  • 515 N. 19th St., between “S” and “U” streets – $25  
  • 900 N. 22nd St. – $20 
  • 22nd and Vine streets – $20 
  • 1700 “Y” St. – $25 
  • 14th and Court streets – $10  
  • 16th and Court streets – $10 
  • 14th Street and Military Road – $10   

Accessible parking is available for $25 per vehicle at the following locations: 

  • 14th and “R” streets  
  • 14th Street and Avery Avenue garage, with free cart shuttle 
  • 14th and “U” streets, east of Morrill Hall 
  • 14th Street between Vine and “W” streets, free on-street parking where available 
  • 14th and “W” streets, southeast corner, in the Carolyn Pope Edwards Hall parking lot. 

Towing: 

  • Vehicles blocking driveways, parked too close to intersections, parked on public right-of-way, or interfering with vehicle or pedestrian traffic will be towed. Vehicles will also be subject to towing if parked on job sites, driving lanes on streets, and in new construction/unfinished areas. 
  • Visitors are reminded to be attentive to temporary and permanent signs prohibiting parking in the neighborhoods near Memorial Stadium. 
  • Vehicles towed by order of LPD or a Parking Control Officer are subject to a $50 towing fine in addition to the $49.53 required to retrieve a vehicle from the impoundment lot. The towing fine does not apply to cars towed from private lots. Vehicles towed from private property may be subject to higher fees. 

Cycling notes: 

  • The “N” Street Cycle Track is a protected bikeway for the exclusive use of cyclists on the south side of “N” Street from 23rd Street to Arena Drive.  
  • Downtown area bike lanes include 14th Street from “L” to “R” streets; 11th Street from “Q” to “D” streets; 17th Street from “A” to “R” streets; and “P” and “Q” streets from 17th to 25th streets. 
  • UNL City Campus bike lanes are located on Vine, 16th and “R” streets. 
  • The BikeLNK bikeshare program offers checkout and return kiosks at 14th and “R” streets, 12th and “Q” streets, Eighth and “P” streets, and more throughout downtown. BikeLNK will monitor the flow of bicycles at kiosks on gameday to ensure bikes are available. For more information on BikeLNK visit bikelnk.com to download the BCycle Mobile App. 

Big Red Express: 

StarTran will provide its Big Red Express service on game days starting two hours before kickoff from four locations: 

  • Gateway Mall, 61st and “O” streets, parking area on the north side between Dillard’s and JCPenney 
  • SouthPointe Pavilions, 27th Street and Pine Lake Road, south of Von Maur 
  • North Star High School, 5801 N. 33rd St., take I-80 exit 403, follow North 27th Street south and turn left onto Folkways Boulevard. 
  • Northwest High School, 4901 West Holdrege St., take I-80 exit 395, follow Northwest 48th Street north and turn left onto West Holdrege Street. 

Buses will drop off and board passengers on “R” Street between 12th and 14th streets. Buses are expected to take an average of 30 minutes or less from the time riders board a bus to when they are dropped off at their vehicle’s location. The last bus will leave the lot 45 minutes prior to kickoff. Electronic signs will help direct fans to the Big Red Express locations near the interstate. 

Round trip tickets are $15 per adult and $10 per child. Round trip tickets may be purchased in advance at the StarTran office, 710 “J” St., or on the Token Transit App. One-way trip tickets will not be sold. Cash will not be accepted. 

Big Red Express season tickets, good for round-trip travel for all home games, are $75 when purchased via smartphone on Token Transit, or $65 when purchased at StarTran. Text “TOKEN” to 41411 to receive a download link. 

For more information, call 402-476-1234 or visit transit.lincoln.ne.gov. 

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