Duke, UNC are among weekend Triangle graduations. Here’s parking & traffic details
Several universities and colleges, including Duke and UNC Chapel Hill, will hold spring commencement on Mother’s Day weekend around the Triangle.
Whether you’re attending a ceremony or just passing through, here’s what you need to know about navigating road closures and detours:
Duke University
Date: Sunday, May 11
Location: Brooks Field at Wallace Wade Stadium, 110 Frank Basset Dr, Durham, NC 27708
Time: 9 a.m.
According to the university website, most parking will be available in the Science Drive Parking Garage at 3100 Cameron Blvd. But graduates are encouraged to park or get dropped off near the football practice field in Blue-Zone at 2300 Duke University Rd.
Extra parking options for guests will be available in Blue Zone, PGIV & Chemistry Lot.
You can find more details online at commencement.duke.edu.
Meredith College
Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony
Date: Saturday, May 10
Location: Courtyard behind Johnson Hall, 3800 Hillsborough St, Raleigh, NC 27607
Time: 10 a.m.
Graduate Commencement and Hooding Ceremony
Date: Saturday, May 10
Location: Jones Auditorium, 3800 Hillsborough St, Raleigh, NC 27607
Time: 2 p.m.
Graduates and those attending the ceremonies may park in any campus lot except Lots 1, 12, 18, and along Main Campus Drive, according to the college’s website.
Additional details can be found at meredith.edu/commencement.
North Carolina Central University
Baccalaureate (the College of Health and Sciences and the School of Education)
Date: Friday, May 9
Location: McDougald-McLendon Arena, 700 E Lawson St, Durham, NC 27701
Time: 2 p.m.
Graduate and Professional
Date: Saturday, May 10
Location: McDougald-McLendon Arena, 700 E Lawson St, Durham, NC 27701
Time: 9 a.m.
Baccalaureate (the College of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities and the School of Business)
Date: Saturday, May 10
Location: McDougald-McLendon Arena, 700 E Lawson St, Durham, NC 27701
Time: 2 p.m.
High traffic volume and congestion are expected in and around campus, along with limited on-campus parking, especially on Friday, NC Central said on its website.
Here is a list of parking facilities for the ceremonies:
The Latham Parking Deck and Surface Lot (705 Lawson St.; entrances on Lawson and Dupree streets)
Access the Latham Parking Deck via the Lincoln Street entrance.
Attendees are encouraged to use Dupree Street to approach the parking deck. Lawson Street will be closed in the area fronting the McDougald-McLendon Arena (between Merrick Street and Lincoln Street).
NCCU Student Center Lot (500 Nelson St.; entrances on Nelson and Cecil Street)
Albert N. Whiting Criminal Justice Lot (608 Nelson St.; entrance on Lincoln St.)
A.E. Student Union Lot (2115 Fayetteville St.)
Miller-Morgan Health Sciences Lot (directly across from Julius L. Chambers Biomedical and Biotechnology Research Institute [JLC-BBRI], 535 Nelson St.)
O’Kelly-Riddick Lot (617 Nelson Street)
You can find more details online at nccu.edu/145Commencement.
Shaw University
Date: Saturday, May 10
Location: Raleigh Convention Center, 500 S Salisbury St, Raleigh, NC 27601
Time: 10 a.m.
According to the convention center website, these are the closest public parking decks in the area:
Lenoir Street between Salisbury Street and Fayetteville Street
Lenoir Street between Salisbury and McDowell Street
South Street between Salisbury and McDowell Street
Davie Street between McDowell and Dawson Street
Cabarrus Street between McDowell and Dawson Street
Salisbury Street between Cabarrus and Davie Street
South Street, from McDowell to Dawson streets, is permanently closed for relocation of the Red Hat Amphitheater.
Additional parking and traffic information can be found at shawu.edu.
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Date: Saturday, May 10
Location: Keenan Memorial Stadium, 104 Stadium Dr, Chapel Hill, NC 27514
Time: 7 p.m.
There may be congestion on Raleigh Road as early as 3 p.m., according to the university website, and some roads on campus may be blocked throughout the day.
These streets will be impacted by traffic pattern changes on Saturday, May 10, between 5-7 p.m:
Ridge Road will transition to one-way southbound traffic between Country Club Road and the Rams Head Parking Deck. Access from Manning Drive will be restricted to Rams Head Deck permit holders only.
Manning Drive will shift to three westbound lanes and one eastbound lane between Ridge Road and US 15-501.
Country Club Road will remain accessible with on-site traffic control.
UNC officials indicated that routes between Ridge Road and Country Club Road will also change on Saturday, May 10, between 7 and 10 p.m.
Ridge Road will transition to one-way northbound traffic between the Rams Head Parking Deck and Country Club Road. One-way southbound traffic from the Rams Head Parking Deck to Manning Drive.
Manning Drive will shift to three eastbound lanes and one westbound lane between Ridge Road and US 15-501.
South Road will change to one-way eastbound traffic between the Bell Tower and Country Club Road.
Country Club Road will remain accessible with on-site traffic control.
Public parking for students and those attending the ceremony will be available in all lots designated as public parking on campus, including:
Ehringhaus Lot
Craige Deck
Park Place
Graham Circle
Nash Lot
Jackson Deck
Cobb Deck
Cardinal Deck
You can find more details online at move.unc.edu/events/commencement.
William Peace University
Date: Saturday, May 10
Location: William Peace University Main Lawn, 15 E Peace St, Raleigh, NC 27604
Time: 9:30 a.m.
According to the university website, students and those attending the ceremony may park on Delway Street, in the gravel lot, and in public parking decks on North Salisbury Street (Nos. 64 and 66).
More information about commencement can be found online at peace.edu/student-life/commencement.
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