By Joshua Qualls

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Although UK said in a press release that it began making parking arrangements for Thursday night’s football game against Auburn more than a year ago, many students have anticipated problems.

UK has made deals to provide parking spaces at Southland Christian Church, Lexmark, and the Lexington Legends’ Whitaker Bank Ballpark, but each of these locations are several miles away from campus.

Whitney Hill, an art history and visual studies sophomore, said she had to move her car for the football games during her freshman year. This year she found a reliable place to park off-campus and decided to keep it there so she could avoid having to move her car for the games.

“It was really annoying because a lot of times I would get (a parking ticket) for the places that I’d have to move it to,” said Hill, who also said people would sometimes get ticketed or towed within an hour of parking on game days if they did not refill their parking meters.

Residential students who park in restricted zones must move their vehicles from their normal spots by 7 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 15, to off-campus locations.

Jacob Barnett, an agricultural biotechnology freshman, said it is a tough situation for the university because it has to accommodate students, faculty and staff while it must also make space available to the fans. UK has not hosted a Thursday night football game since 1939.

UK is offering shuttle services from the off-campus locations, but students, faculty and staff who commute will need to leave early and expect it to take longer than usual to arrive on campus.

Morgan Cecil, a pre-pharmacy freshman, parks in K Lot and will have to move her car for the game.

“It’s horrible — I don’t like the idea of driving so far just to park my car, and taking a bus back,” said Cecil, whose cousin lives closer to campus than the reserved spaces and has a place for her to park.

Some students who live on campus and do not drive expect it may take a little longer to get to their classes because of the traffic and the increased amount of people on campus.

“Sidewalks are going to be a lot more crowded and there is going to be a lot more people, so I’ll probably have to leave a little earlier,” Barnett said. “It will take a little longer to get around campus but I don’t see it being a huge complication, just like any other game day.”

Those who do not park in the restricted game day parking zones may park in their normal spots, but they should still plan for delays.

“Lexington itself will probably be crowded that day,” Barnett said. “Most of the students I’ve talked to have not been too happy with it.”