Carolina Basketball 2011-2012

This site contains basic information regarding transportation and parking for the 2011- 2012 Men’s Basketball Home Season.

SPECIAL PARKING NOTICE:
½-Price Public Parking in the Bell Tower Lot for the Remainder of the 2011 / 2012 Season!
For details, see the following link:
http://www.dps.unc.edu/NewsLinks/BasketballWeb/PublicParking.pdf

nformation will be updated throughout the season to reflect changes in operations due to construction or other campus developments. 

One New Public Parking Lot Added for This Season

One New Roadway Restriction

One Public Parking Lot Closed This Season

For Men’s Basketball Schedules and other Basketball news, visit www.tarheelblue.com, the official web site of UNC Athletics.

     Table of Contents 

Park and Ride Shuttles:  Tar Heel Express

Charter Bus Parking

Road Detours (Including New Detour for This Season)

General Public Parking

Disability Public Parking

Reserved Rams Club / Game Operations Parking

Employee Parking

Frequently Asked Questions

Getting to the Game Is Easy with the Tar Heel Express

Park and Ride Shuttles

Chapel Hill Transit will operate the full Tar Heel Express for each home basketball game.  Tar Heel Express buses will operate from the traditional four locations from approximately 1.5 hours prior to game time to just after tip-off, with return trips to the lots immediately following the game.  The four traditional park and ride lots are as follows:  (1) The Friday Center park and ride lot off Highway 54, (2) University Mall near Dillard's, (3) Southern Village and (4) Jones Ferry Road.  The cost is $5 per person round trip.  

Additionally, Chapel Hill Transit will operate a special downtown shuttle from the Carolina Coffee Shop on Franklin Street.  The fare is $4 per person round trip and $2.00 one-way.  

·         The Highway 54 park and ride lot is located off the Friday Center Drive on the left, just off of Highway 54 East.  

·         University Mall is located off 15-501 South on the right traveling from Durham.  

·         Southern Village is located just off 15-501 South as you are traveling from Pittsboro on the edge of Chapel Hill.  

·         Jones Ferry Road park and ride lot is located off Highway 54 west in Carrboro, exit onto Jones Ferry Road and go right as you are traveling into Chapel Hill from Carrboro.

Visit HERE to see CH Transit Tar Heel Express

Park and Ride Locations

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  Charter Bus Parking

There is very limited space available for charter buses attending UNC games.  Bus parking is primarily dedicated to Chapel Hill Transit for the Park and Ride Tar Heel Express bus service and Carolina Livery for disability shuttle service. 

Charter buses are encouraged to make parking arrangements at least 72-hours in advance or risk being sent to off-campus parking on game days/nights.  Charter bus parking reservations will be accepted on a first-come-first serve basis.  Regretfully, once the designated charter area is full, all additional requests will have to be denied.  For these reasons, charter bus companies that do not make advance notice run a higher risk of being denied access to the Smith Center pre and post game. 

To make advance charter bus parking arrangements, submit a special event parking request on-line by visiting our website at 

http://www.dps.unc.edu/Forms/specialevents/allspecialevents.cfm

Requests cannot be accepted by phone or in person and may be rejected if received after 72-hours prior to game time.  The fee for charter bus parking is $40 per bus (charters or school buses).

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Road Detours

There are two main roads and one side road that are restricted for game operations:  (1) Bowles Drive, (2) Blythe Drive and (3) Ridge Road between Stadium Drive and Manning Drive. 

 Ridge Road will close this year between Manning Drive and Stadium Drive beginning 3 hours prior to game time for weekend games.  For weeknight games, Ridge Road will close from Manning Drive to Stadium Drive as early as 5 p.m. or 3 hours prior to game time, but no earlier than 5 p.m. regardless of game time.  

Bowles Drive and Blythe Drive closes to thru traffic beginning 5 p.m. on weeknights and 3.5 hours prior to game time for home men’s basketball games. 

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General Public Parking Information

The lots around the Dean E. Smith Center will be reserved for basketball permit holders. Vehicles without valid 2011-2012 basketball permits will not be allowed to park in the lots surrounding the Smith Center.

However, there are four (4) areas on campus reserved for General Public Parking.  

·         Bell Tower Deck – 600+ spaces (off 15/501 to Raleigh Road to South Road or Pittsboro Street to McCauley Street and then South Road)

Since Bell Tower Deck access if off South Road and away from Manning Drive, Bell Tower Deck has the advantage of having priority ingress and egress traffic patterns.  This makes entering and exiting the Bell Tower Deck quicker than traveling in and out of any of the other public parking areas and even some of the reserved parking Rams Club Areas. 

Patrons choosing to park in Bell Tower Deck can exit the rear of the deck toward the hospital and Campus Health, walk toward Kenan Stadium and Campus Health, cross the Public Safety Lot and then cross Manning Drive by the Craige Deck to get to the Smith Center.  Following these directions, the walk is same distance or closer than all other public parking locations.

·         Jackson Deck – 600+ spaces (off 15/501 to Columbia Street and Mason Farm Road or Pittsboro Street to Columbia Street and then Mason Farm Road)

Patrons choosing to park in the Jackson Deck can exit the deck toward East Drive and walk to Manning Drive and turn toward right toward the Craige Deck following the sidewalk past Hibbard Drive to Craige Drive and then follow the sidewalk toward the Smith Center. 

·         Navy Field Lot – 50 spaces (off 54 and 15/501 to Raleigh Road, then Country Club then Ridge Road)

Navy Field is on Ridge Road, so patrons parking in this lot may follow the sidewalks down Ridge Road and cross Manning Drive to the Smith Center. 

·         Boshamer Lots – 120 spaces (off 54 and 15/501 to Raleigh Road, then Country Club then Ridge Road)

Navy Field is on Ridge Road, so patrons parking in this lot may follow the sidewalks down Ridge Road and cross Manning Drive to the Smith Center. 

Note:  The Dogwood Deck is not available for game parking this season.  It is reserved for working employees with Dogwood Parking permits and hospital patients and visitors.  The Cardinal Deck is closed to the general public in anticipation of construction on West Drive and Columbia Street. 

To see a map of various parking lots and restricted areas during Men’s Basketball home game operations, visit the following link:

http://www.dps.unc.edu/maps/Basketball/BasketballMap.pdf

To assist traffic control personnel in keeping traffic flowing as smoothly as possible, we recommend the following routes to the suggested parking lots.  The access from 15/501 to Columbia Street is expected to be the most expedient route as most motorists will choose the Manning Drive corridor from 15/501 or Pittsboro Street. 

Bell Tower Deck (600+ spaces): Coming from Durham or Raleigh, stay on 15/501/54 to Raleigh Road and exit onto Raleigh Road.  Follow Raleigh Road to the stoplight past the Bell Tower monument and turn left onto Bell Tower Drive. 

Coming from Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard (Historic Airport Road) and Pittsboro Street, follow Columbia Street to Cameron Avenue and turn right onto Cameron Avenue.  Then turn left onto Pittsboro Street and left onto McCauley Street.  Cross Columbia Street and then turn right onto Bell Tower Drive. 

Coming from Pittsboro, instead of exiting onto 15/501 and Highway 54 at the overpass, stay across the overpass to Columbia Street.  After crossing the overpass, follow Columbia Street to the 5th light and turn Right onto South Road and then turn right at the Bell Tower Drive and left into the Bell Tower Deck.  You can access the Smith Center by taking the stairs or elevator to ground level and following the sidewalk to Campus Health and walking toward the Public Safety Building toward Craige Deck and then following the Craige Deck sidewalk down the stairs through the Bowles Lot. (Approximately 5-8 minute walk, depending on your pace).  REMEMBER, this lot gets priority egress post game!

Jackson Deck (600+ spaces):   Coming from Durham or Raleigh, stay on 15/501/54 past Manning Drive and take the 15/501 South exit.  At the top of the exit, turn right onto Columbia Street and then turn right at the first stop light onto Mason Farm Road.  Follow Mason Farm Road until you see a parking deck on the right (past a 3-way  intersection) and then follow the event signs to parking on the right in the Jackson Deck.  

Coming from Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard ( Historic Airport Road) and Pittsboro Street, follow Pittsboro Street to the split toward Manning Drive and Columbia and stay to the right toward Columbia Street.  Once on Columbia Street, turn left at the first stoplight onto Mason Farm Road.   Follow Mason Farm Road until you see a parking deck on the right (past a 3-way  intersection) and then follow the event signs to parking on the right in the Jackson Deck. 

Coming from Pittsboro, instead of exiting onto 15/501 and Highway 54 at the overpass, stay across the overpass to Columbia Street.  After crossing the overpass, follow Columbia Street to the 1st stoplight and turn right onto Mason Farm Road.   Follow Mason Farm Road until you see a parking deck on the right (past a 3-way  intersection) and then follow the event signs to parking on the right in the Jackson Deck.  This lot is about a block and a half from the arena and doesn't compete with exiting pedestrian traffic post event. To get to the Smith Center, exit the Deck and turn right along the sidewalk on East Drive and then right along the sidewalk on Manning Drive.  Follow the Manning Drive sidewalk to the Craige Deck and turning right at the Craige Deck sidewalk and following the stairs down through the Bowles Lot. (Approximately 5-8 minute walk, depending on your pace). 

Navy Field Lot (50 spaces):  The Boshamer Parking Lots are best accessed via Country Club Road and Raleigh Road to Ridge Road once on campus.

If arriving via US 15/501 from Durham or from Highway 54 from I-40, take the UNC exit at the Highway 54 and 15/501 bridge to Raleigh Road. Follow Raleigh Road to the first stop light and turn left onto Country Club Road and then immediately right onto Ridge Road.

If arriving from US 15/501 from Durham an alternate route would be to exit US 15/501 onto East Franklin Street and follow Franklin Street to Raleigh Street (just prior to the Morehead Planetarium) and turn left onto Raleigh Street. Follow Raleigh Street to the first light and turn left onto Country Club and follow Country Club to Ridge Road (after the 2nd light) and turn right.

If arriving from Highway 86, follow it to Columbia Street and then turn left onto Cameron Avenue. Follow Cameron Avenue until it becomes Country Club Road and then follow it across South Road to Ridge Road and turn right.

Boshamer Lots:  The Boshamer Parking Lots are best accessed via Country Club Road and Raleigh Road to Ridge Road once on campus.  

If arriving via US 15/501 from Durham or from Highway 54 from I-40, take the UNC exit at the Highway 54 and 15/501 bridge to Raleigh Road.  Follow Raleigh Road to the first stop light and 26 turn left onto Country Club Road and then immediately right onto Ridge Road.

If arriving from US 15/501 from Durham an alternate route would be to exit US 15/501 onto East Franklin Street and follow Franklin Street to Raleigh Street (just prior to the Morehead Planetarium) and turn left onto Raleigh Street.  Follow Raleigh Street to the first light and turn left onto Country Club and follow Country Club to Ridge Road (after the 2nd light) and turn right.

If arriving from Highway 86, follow it to Columbia Street and then turn left onto Cameron Avenue. Follow Cameron Avenue until it becomes Country Club Road and then follow it across South Road to Ridge Road and turn right.

From US 64 / Pittsboro, follow US 15/501 to NC Highway 54 and take the ramp to Highway 54 East. Follow Highway 54 East to Manning Drive and turn left onto Manning Drive. Follow Manning Drive to the first stoplight. Turn right onto Ridge Road.  Boshamer will be on the right.

There are fees for parking.  The fees are the same for all parking locations.

$10 per regular sized vehicle.  

Limos are Restricted to Bowles Drive

Buses must Pre-register for Parking Due to the Limited Bus Parking Area Near the Arena.  Buses that Do Not Register in Advance May be Sent Off-Campus to Park. 

Limos $20 each, Buses $40 each, RV's free off campus at the Friday Center Park and Ride Lot after 5p.m. weeknights and weekends

Parking Lots surrounding the student residence halls are reserved and off-limits to event patrons.  Parking on the ends of the rows, on the landscape, on sidewalks or in fire lanes is strictly prohibited and can result in ticketing and/or towing. 

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Disability Parking Information

Disability Parking and special shuttles will be available for each home game from the Rams Head Parking Deck on Ridge Road to the bus drop-off at the Smith Center, where golf carts will await those that cannot walk from the bus stop to the "A" and "B" doors of the Smith Center.  There will be NO DISABILITY PARKING in any of the Smith Center Parking Lots. 

ADA compliant bus service from Rams Head Deck to the Smith Center and back will be provided by Carolina Livery Service.  Service will begin 1.5 hours prior to game time and will be covered by the $10.00 parking fee accessed for parking in the Rams Head Parking Deck.  The buses will load and discharge at the bus stop in front of the Rams Head Deck.  Passengers will be asked to show their boarding pass prior to boarding the disability buses.  Each occupant of a vehicle displaying a disability permit/tag or plate will be given a boarding pass when paying to park in the Rams Head Deck.  Carolina Livery will be instructed to transport only those passengers with boarding passes.  The change is necessary in order to eliminate abuse of the disability shuttle service and ensure the best possible service is provided to our valued patrons with disabilities. 

Anyone unable to walk from the "A" and "B" Doors to the bus stop in front of the Smith Center post game, may ride the special golf carts to the bus stop.  Service is first-come-first serve from the designated shuttle pick-up locations only.  Golf Cart drivers will be instructed not to pick-up passengers from any other locations and to stop running their cart if patrons board from unauthorized shuttle locations. 

There is a charge of $10 per vehicle to park in the Rams Head Parking Deck.

The Rams Head Deck is located on campus on Ridge Road.  In addition to being a parking facility, it is also the home of the Rams Head Dining Facility.  Patrons are welcome to arrive at the games early and dine at the Rams Head Dining Facility.  Service is buffet style.  

To access the Rams Head Deck driving from I-40 on Highway 54 directly into campus, stay under the 54 overpass onto Raleigh Road and turn left onto Country Club Road at the 1st stop light past Fordham Boulevard.  Then immediately turn right onto Ridge Road and follow it down past Boshamer Baseball Stadium and Stadium Drive.  The Rams Head Deck and dining center is the large brick building on the right past Stadium Drive.  From NC 86 and Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard ( Historic Airport Road), follow Pittsboro Street to McCauley Street and turn left and cross Columbia Street onto South Road.  Follow South Road to Country Club Road and turn right (3rd stoplight) and then immediately turn right onto Ridge Road and follow it down past Boshamer Stadium and Stadium Drive.  The Rams Head Deck and dining center is the large brick building on the right past Stadium Drive.  From Pittsboro and south, instead of exiting onto 15/501 and Highway 54 at the overpass, stay across the overpass to Columbia Street.  After crossing the overpass, follow Columbia Street to the 4th stoplight at the intersection of South Road and Columbia and turn right onto South Road.   Follow South Road to Country Club Road and turn right (3rd stoplight) and then immediately turn right onto Ridge Road and follow it down past Boshamer Stadium and Stadium Drive.  The Rams Head Deck and dining center is the large brick building on the right past Stadium Drive.  To get to the Smith Center, exit the deck and head right up the hill toward the stop light.  At the stop light, cross Manning Drive and head down the hill.  The arena is down the hill.  The walk takes about 4 minutes.  One of the nice features of parking in this lot is the fact that Manning Drive traffic does not compete with the traffic on Ridge Road, so exiting is easy and relatively fast.  

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Reserved Basketball Permit Parking

The lots surrounding the Dean E. Smith Center are reserved either for operations or for Educational Foundation members meeting certain requirements.  These lots must be cleared prior to each game. 

Therefore, unless otherwise noted, vehicles parked in these lots past 5:30 p.m. weekdays and 10:00 a.m. on weekends will be cited and towed.  The lots affected by this policy are as follows:  (1) Williamson Lot / Williamson Drive (formerly named the Smith Lot), (2) Dean E. Smith Lot (Formerly the Koury Lot and the Dean E. Smith Lot), and (3) the Bowles Lot.  Additionally, vehicles parked in the Manning lot, Business School Deck, or Public Safety lots must be moved to alternate lots by 6:00 p.m. weekdays and 10:00 a.m. on weekends.  

Please check the lot entrance signs to confirm removal times. 

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Employee Parking

S11 Employee permit holders who normally park in the S11 lots may park in the Dogwood Deck after 2:30 p.m. on game weeknights and exit without paying, if they show their parking permit and exit by 8:30 a.m. the following morning. 

UNC Employees parked in other reserved lots, and unable to move their vehicles, should visit the Public Safety Building to make alternate arrangements with a Parking Registration Cashier. 

UNC Hospitals Employees parked in the S11 Lots and unable to move their vehicles should visit the UNC Hospitals Parking Office to make alternate arrangements. 

Both UNC Public Safety and UNC Hospitals are prepared to provide alternate parking to those employees that cannot relocate from S11 by 5:30 p.m. on weeknights.

Employees may NOT park in the Dogwood Deck prior to 2:30 p.m. without a valid Dogwood Deck permit or they will risk being ticketed and towed.  This will be necessary in order to provide adequate parking for visitors and patients of UNC Hospitals and the School of Dentistry. 

Regular employee CD and BTD permits will be honored in the CD and BTD parking areas, if employees are reporting to work.  Regular CD and BTD permits will NOT be honored in the CD and BTD for game purposes.  

Employees attending the men's basketball game, and parking in a $10.00 general public game parking lot, will be expected to pay the $10.00 parking fee to park. 

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Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Question	Answer to Question
Drop-off/Pick-ups Can I drop-off and pick-up my family for games?	We would prefer there are no drop-offs and pick-ups because drop-offs / pick-ups stop traffic and cause congestion.  However, if you must drop-off prior to a game, you may drive down Bowles Drive from the Ridge and Manning Intersection to drop-off at the turnaround and then circle back up the drive.  For safety reasons, drop-offs are not allowed in front of the Smith Center.  Pick-ups from Bowles Drive are discouraged.  However, anyone needing to pick-up may drive down Bowles Drive to the Bowles parking lot via the Ridge and Manning intersection and stage in a parking space inside of the Bowles Lot.  For safety reasons, pick-ups are not allowed in front of the Smith Center.
Disability Parking Where do fans with disabilities park and how do they get to the arena?	Disability parking is reserved in the Rams Head Parking Deck, along with the other reserved game parking.   Wheelchair accessible vans and buses service our fans with disabilities and take them and their caretaker (if this applies) to the front of the Smith Center.  Golf carts will be available from the buses to the "A and B" doors of the Smith Center for the patrons that cannot negotiate the remaining short distance to the "A and B" doors.
Disability Parking Why is disability parking located so far from the stadium?	Misuse of disability permits/placards has caused significant traffic and parking issues.  Consequently, misuse of disability parking has rendered the old service less than efficient and less than acceptable for our valued fans with disabilities.  In fact, none of the parking spaces at the Smith Center meet ADA requirements for fans with disabilities attending an event at the arena, in terms of distance to the doors, incline, etc.  Therefore, an ADA acceptable alternative is to have a shuttle system that runs to the venue from a designated parking lot.
Disability Parking What is required for access to disability parking and shuttles?	Any vehicle displaying a disability plate, permit or placard will be given access to the reserved disability parking, if the driver also pays the $10.00 parking fee.
Disability Parking  Is it possible to arrange one-game disability parking for someone that has a temporary disability such as a broken leg, but no disability permit?	Yes.  Contact the Department of Public Safety at 962-3951 for special one-game disability parking permits.  There will be a $10.00 parking fee upon entry to the designated parking lot, but the permit from Public Safety will allow access to the lot with the $10.00 entry payment.

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