| Tournament time means parking, traffic changes |
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By: GINA FANN, MTSU News & Media Relations
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Posted: Sunday, March 3, 2013 12:00 am
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If it’s March in Tennessee, that means it’s TSSAA time at MTSU – and time for temporary traffic changes too.
The TSSAA Division 1 High School Basketball Tournaments – March 6-9 for the girls and March 13-16 for boys – will cause changes in parking and traffic patterns on the campus of Middle Tennessee State University, which is again hosting the events.
As a result, motorists should be aware of several factors affecting roads and parking.
• The Greenland Drive parking lot will be reserved for TSSAA ticketholders during both tournaments, and vehicles must pay $5 to park there. Students and faculty who use the Greenland Drive lot should prepare now to find alternative parking on campus.
• MTSU’s East Main Street, Blue Raider Drive and Rutherford Boulevard entrances will be the most convenient campus entry points during the tournaments, officials said.
• Team buses again will park on the east side of Middle Tennessee Boulevard in what is usually the right northbound lane.
• The Champions Way entrance from Greenland Drive will be closed March 6-9. All eastbound traffic on Greenland Drive will be directed to Rutherford Boulevard to park in both the large gravel and paved lots. Campus traffic will be allowed to exit campus via Champion Way to Greenland Drive, however.
Motorists also should keep in mind the various construction projects under way around MTSU and allow extra time to reach campus destinations. They also can use the university’s perimeter parking lots.
MTSU will be on spring break March 11-17, during the second tournament, and no classes will be held. University offices will be open regular hours during the break.
The Raider Xpress shuttle service will not run while the university is on spring break. It will operate on its normal schedule during the girls' TSSAA tournament, however, with the exception of the "Green Route,” which will not serve Greenland Drive.
Instead, the "Green Route" shuttle will serve lots along Crestland Drive as normal, then re-enter campus behind the James Union Building and make its way around Old Main Circle by Peck Hall and Kirksey Old Main. The route then will take a right on Faulkinberry and head out of campus via Champions Way back to Greenland Drive.
All other events scheduled on campus during the tournaments will be allowed first-come, first-served parking in any of MTSU’s free lots, based on availability.
For a printable campus map showing parking lots and travel routes at MTSU, visit http://tinyurl.com/MTParkingMap12-13. For more information about the TSSAA state tournaments, visit www.tssaa.org or call 615-889-6740. |
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