KHSAA State Football Championship to Impact South Campus Parking, Traffic

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Dec. 2, 2019) — The UK Orthopaedics/KHSAA Commonwealth Gridiron Bowl will take place on the University of Kentucky campus beginning Friday, Dec. 6, and will impact traffic, campus bus schedules and parking. 

The KHSAA football playoffs will be held over three days at Kroger Field, Friday, Dec. 6, through Sunday, Dec. 8. High school football fans are expected to travel from across the Commonwealth to cheer on teams in six classes for the 2019 Gridiron Bowl. This is the third year that Kroger Field will be the site of the championship games, which drew nearly 40,000 fans last year. 

The first game in the championship series is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. Friday, with the final game set for 2 p.m. Sunday. In previous years, Friday afternoon and evening fan traffic has significantly impacted campus traffic and bus schedules, so please plan accordingly.

Parking, Traffic and Campus Bus Details­­­

UK Employees:  UK employees who park near Kroger Field should experience limited, if any, impact to their typical parking routines Friday morning. However, starting at 1 p.m., employees may notice an increase in parking demand in intermediate lots and the Rose Street Garage (PS #2) as student periphery (K) permit holders relocate vehicles away from Kroger Field.

Similar to UK home football game weekends, the large Gluck Equine Center Lot and a portion of the Orange Lot will also be restricted to RV parking beginning at 7:30 p.m. Friday. Please avoid parking in these areas after 7:30 p.m. As a convenience, the Orange Route Extension will run Friday, Dec. 6, which will enable employees who arrive to work later in the morning to park in the College Way East Lot.

The Class 3A football game will kick off at 7 p.m. Friday. Please be aware that increased afternoon traffic in the Kroger Field area that day may delay all campus bus routes, including the Orange Route and the Orange Route Extension. It may also result in traffic delays for those leaving campus between 4 to 7:30 p.m. Friday.

UK Students:

Beginning at 1 p.m. Friday, on-campus residential students with R10 and periphery (K) permits are asked to move their vehicles from the periphery lots (Kroger Field Red and Blue Lots, College Way, Commonwealth Drive and Wildcat Court lots) as soon as possible. Vehicles may be returned to the periphery parking lots after 6 p.m. Sunday, but no later than 5 a.m. Monday, Dec. 9. Unlike a typical home football weekend, R7 permit holders will not be required to relocate their vehicles.

BCTC:

E10 and C10 permit holders will be authorized to park in the Sports Center Garage (PS #7) from Friday through Sunday. The Green Lot will remain accessible to valid BCTC permit holders throughout the weekend. However, BCTC permit holders are strongly encouraged to utilize the Sports Center Garage for a more predictable and easily accessible parking choice.

Please see the schedule below for more information about parking impacts, including dates and times:

Friday, Dec. 6: 10 a.m.: KHSAA football championship fan parking is restricted to College Way East and West, Wildcat Court and the Baseball Facility Lot

11 a.m.: Fan parking begins in the Green Lot

1 p.m.: All campus intermediate lots and the Rose Street Garage (PS #2) transition to off-peak control to allow on-campus residential students with R10 and periphery (K) permits to relocate vehicles away from the Kroger Field lots

1:30 p.m.: KHSAA football parking is authorized in the Blue and Red Lots

5 p.m.: KHSAA football parking will be authorized in the Orange Lot, in addition to the other periphery lots

Saturday, Dec. 7, and Sunday, Dec. 8: 7 a.m. Saturday: KHSAA football parking is authorized in the Kroger Field Red, Blue, Purple and Orange Lots, in addition to the University Drive Garage (PS #1) and Green Lot

6 p.m. Sunday: Games are expected to be complete, and parking will return to normal control

For more information about the games or to purchase tickets, visit www.KHSAA.org.­­­