With the University of Tennessee’s football home opener on Thursday, fans heading to the game should anticipate some logistical deviations from a traditional Saturday game.
Shuttle services to and from Neyland Stadium will be limited, and there will likely be waits to board the shuttles as kickoff approaches. City transportation planners are recommending that regular game-day shuttle commuters switch on Sept. 1 to use Knoxville Area Transit’s regular bus system to get to the game.
If your favorite parking garage is full, fans are advised to have a back-up plan for where to park. (Many commuters will be parking on the periphery of downtown; the Civic Coliseum garage, for example, has more than 2,500 parking spaces, and it’s just a five-minute walk to Gay Street – or cross Hall of Fame Drive to access KAT’s Knoxville Station Transit Center and a bus connection on to Cumberland Avenue.)
The public is asked to remember that the city’s $17 million reconstruction of Cumberland Avenue is continuing, so follow the recommended traffic flow plans to reach garages and parking lots. And if your time-honored game-day traditions start with a meal at a Cumberland Avenue restaurant, there are recommended routes to access those businesses as well.
“We want everyone to have a great experience at the home opener,” said Rick Emmett, the city’s downtown coordinator. “To best assure a smooth, stress-free commute, fans are encouraged to arrive early, be patient if they encounter heavier-than-usual traffic congestion, and plan their parking options before driving to the game.”
For normal weekday downtown commuters, garage parking will be available as usual. All monthly parking subscribers arriving before 3 p.m. on Sept. 1 will be able to access their garages. Similarly, downtown residents with monthly parking passes will be able to park in their garage as usual up until game-day parking begins.