Berkeley residents brace for influx of 8,700 UC students this week
City officials in Berkeley warned local residents Monday that it's that time of the year again to watch out for moving trucks around the UC campus as thousands of students move into housing.
The city expects 8,700 new UC Berkeley students to move in before the end of the week and issued a press release Monday covering some of the pending street closures happening this week. Berkeley police on Monday said designated student move-in days will impact traffic on city streets. Designated move-in days are Tuesday, Wednesday and Sunday.
Police said to expect traffic delays, changes, and closures in the south campus and downtown areas on those days. The public is advised that if their daily commute involves streets on the southside or downtown (near Oxford Street and University Avenue), please allow extra time for increased traffic, street closures, and/or detours.
From 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday and Sunday, Walnut Street, between University Avenue and Berkeley Way, will be closed.
On Tuesday and Wednesday, expect closures on Channing Way, between Dana Street and Telegraph Avenue and between Bowditch Street and College Avenue.
There will also be lane closures on Durant Avenue between Bowditch Street and College Avenue and between Dana Avenue and Telegraph Avenue; Haste Street between Bowditch Street and College Avenue; and Dwight Way between Bowditch Street and College Avenue.
From 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, one lane of Channing Way will only be open westbound from College Avenue to Bowditch Street. No eastbound traffic will be allowed.
From 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday, the eastbound lane of Channing Way will be changed for one-way westbound traffic, from Bowditch Street to Telegraph Avenue. No eastbound traffic will be allowed in this section.
The city is asking people moving in to please use city collection and recycling services to reduce trash dumped on sidewalks. Overfilling trash bins, leaving used boxes on the curb, and ditching furniture outside create a mess and possible safety hazards, they said. These actions are also illegal and can result in fines of up to $500 a day.
The city said it has resources to help people sustainably discard what they don't need and avoid illegal dumping fines.