August 15, 2007

Traffic changes planned for student move-in

by Pete Rosenbery

CARBONDALE, Ill. — Traffic will increase dramatically around Southern Illinois University Carbondale during the next few days with the annual influx of new and returning students.

Motorists should allow for extra time and be patient when traveling on and near campus over the next few days. There will be directional signs alerting motorists to various residence halls on campus, and some traffic patterns will change in a few areas beginning Thursday, Aug. 16, and running through Saturday, Aug. 18, said SIUC Department of Public Safety Capt. Kay W. Doan.

New students move into the residence halls on Friday, Aug. 17, and returning students move in on Saturday.

The temporary changes include:

  • Southbound traffic on Wall Street will be prohibited from turning right (west) onto East Park Street. Motorists going to Brush Towers and the residence halls on the east side of campus will be directed south on Wall Street to Southern Hills, where they will go into Southern Hills and then come back north to their appropriate residence hall.
  • The entrance to Thompson Point will only be for incoming traffic. Outgoing traffic will leave by Smith Hall.
  • Washington Street from Grand Avenue to East Park Street (alongside the Blue Barracks) will be restricted to one-way northbound traffic to help motorists leaving the residence halls.

Doan noted that numerous SIUC police officers will assist in directing motorists arriving in the housing areas on campus. Friday will be the busiest day, and most all of the department's 36 officers will be working during some part of the day, she said.

"If they have questions they just have to ask one of the many officers who will be working," she said.

The fall semester starts Monday, Aug. 20.

For more information, contact the Department of Public Safety at 618/453-3771 (453-DPS1).