City and UK address football season parking issues
August 30, 2016
UK teamed up with city officials Tuesday to discuss parking and overcrowding at Commonwealth Stadium.
The press conference was designed to solve problems many faced during football season last year. Speakers included UK Police Chief Joe Monroe and Lexington Police Chief Mark Barnard, discussed the new changes to make parking on game days easier.
Others included UK Executive Vice President for Finance and Administration Eric Monday who thanked fans “for their tremendous support” and discussed the finishing touches to the stadium.
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Last year, for the first time since 1939, UK hosted a weekday game against Auburn. Parking proved to be problematic with many students and faculty having trouble finding where to park. Students and faculty were forced to take buses in the traffic back to campus after moving their cars to Southland Christian Church or Lexington Legend’s Whitaker Bank Ballpark.
To remedy the situation this year, Barnard said this would not only be an exciting football season but asked that everyone “celebrates safely and respects the neighborhoods that surround the stadium.”
Barnard also said the parking changes were added to Commonwealth to ensure safe and easy parking.
Many changes will be coming to the stadium this year including new parking assignments and special restrictive parking permits. Along with parking permits, non-permit parking will be located on Cooper Drive beginning at noon on Fridays. For game days, LexTran will have a UK Football Express Campus shuttle and normal routes operating.
Tents and tow-behind trailers can only be set up after noon on Friday and tow-behind trailers can never be parked on paved surfaces inside Commonwealth.
“There is cause for optimism about this season and the excitement it will bring,” Barnard said.
