Some normal weekday operations at Michigan State University will change Friday when the MSU football team opens its season with a night game against Western Michigan University.
Additionally, with a new road closure during all football games and new traffic flows around campus, MSU Police are asking fans to be patient while entering and exiting campus.
On Friday, all classes will be held and operational work will continue, but some disruption will occur as campus prepares for an 8 p.m. kickoff. The following parking lots will be closed beginning at 5 p.m. Thursday until 3:30 p.m. Friday, when they will be opened for those holding gameday passes for these lots:
- Lot A (62E) located on the north side of the IM Sports West and Spartan Stadium
- Lot C (61) located on the west side of Spartan Stadium
- Lot T (79) located on the south side of Spartan Stadium
The other campus lots and ramps will be available for faculty, staff and students with appropriate permits for work- and class-related parking until 1:30 p.m. Friday. After that, MSU Police parking staff will restrict entry into the remainder of the reserved football pass lots. Faculty and staff who leave these lots during the noon hour should plan to return prior to 1:30 p.m. to ensure re-entry. Alternatively, faculty and staff may obtain passes from their departments to park in designated public lots at no cost.
All parking lots which are designated for football parking will open at 3:30 p.m. Faculty and staff with cars are encouraged to begin leaving campus by 3 p.m. Supervisors are being asked to determine the operational needs of their individual units and, where possible, use flexible schedules so staff may leave campus by that time. Game-day parking passes which allow faculty and staff to park in public lots for Saturday games will be honored for this game and should be provided to employees who are required to work.
During all home football games this year, including Friday, Red Cedar Road will be closed from Shaw Lane to Chestnut Road. On Friday, Red Cedar Road will close at 1:30 p.m. For all other home games, the road will close at 2 a.m. the night before a game until postgame traffic clears.
Those with parking passes for the “U” Lot will be granted access only via Red Cedar Road at Shaw Lane, and those with parking passes for the “A” Lot will be granted access via Red Cedar Road at Chestnut Road only.
Due to the changed configuration of Michigan Avenue and Beal Road, postgame traffic on north and west campus will be affected. Please follow the directions of the traffic officers in these areas.
Taxis will be directed to drop fans off along Birch Road south of Shaw Lane. The taxis also will be permitted to stage at this same location to pick-up fares after the game.
MSU Police are reminding fans that no bags are allowed in Spartan Stadium.
For more information, go to http://gameday.msu.edu/.