Heavy Traffic In Oakland Expected As College Students Move In
OAKLAND (KDKA) – It's hard to believe, but it's almost back to school time for college students.
CMU and Pitt students are set to move-in beginning Sunday that will mean some traffic troubles in Oakland.
In Oakland, it's the calm before the storm.
On Sunday, more than 1,400 first-year students will flood Carnegie Mellon University.
They'll be setting up shop in campus housing and nearby apartments.
"I never want to drive because it is miserable. Yeah, it gets pretty busy," Jackie Budz said.
"We are going to have a lot of parents come in with the students, a lot of vehicular traffic, it is what it is. We just have to get through it," CMU Police Lt. Joseph Meyers said.
If you can, it may be best to avoid Oakland altogether on Sunday.
Margaret, Morrison and Tech streets will be shut down.
Morewood Avenue will also be closed between Forbes and Fifth.
University police said all of the roads should be reopened by noon.
"We're going to have not only our police officers, but Pittsburgh Police officers manning the intersections. We are going to expedite traffic as best as we can," Lt. Meyers said.
Just when you make it through all the road closures and heavy delays on Sunday, round two will come a little later in the week.
Pitt students are scheduled to move in between Tuesday and Friday.
"It's insane. Traffic gets backed up and you have students and parents running across Bigelow with blue moving carts and traffic just comes to a standstill for hours," David Geiger said.
There will be big time congestion on Forbes and Fifth Avenues too.
In addition, Bigelow Boulevard will be blocked off between Forbes and Fifth from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Aug. 21 and 22. The area will also be blocked off from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Aug. 24.
During those same hours, Lothrop Street will be closed between Fifth and Victoria way.
"If you are an upperclassman and you don't have an errand that has to get done that day, don't do it, just wait," Geiger said.
There will also be restrictions in place on University Drive B and look for backups on Ruskin Avenue.
The best advice to keep in mind to just to be patient.
RELATED LINKS
More Local News
More Oakland News
More Reports From Sarah Arbogast
