Avoid these Chapel Hill roads. Traffic could be crazy for Savannah Bananas games
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- The Savannah Bananas are coming to Chapel Hill for two sold-out games.
- Expect traffic on routes to UNC and give yourself extra time.
- Chapel Hill Transit shuttles offers shuttles. The town has game day parking rates.
A baseball team with circus-like tricks will soon take the field in North Carolina.
The Savannah Bananas are playing two sold-out games in Chapel Hill, so prepare for more cars and pedestrians on Saturday, April 11 and Sunday, April 12.
“As with any game day in Chapel Hill, people should expect increased traffic in town,” town spokesperson Alex Carrasquillo told The News & Observer in a Wednesday, April 8 email. “All of our major routes in and out of town lead to UNC’s campus, so we ask that folks give themselves extra time to get where they’re going — whether or not they are heading to the Bananas game.”
Here’s what Chapel Hill drivers should know about road closures, parking options and getting to the games.
Roads to avoid in Chapel Hill
The Savannah Bananas are set to take on the Texas Tailgaters, another team in the entertainment-focused Banana Ball league. The games will be at Kenan Stadium, at 104 Stadium Drive and the home turf for the UNC-Chapel Hill football team, The N&O previously reported.
“Much like a UNC football game day, visitors should expect lots of folks walking and rolling around,” Sarah Grace Acker, economic development marketing and communications coordinator for the town of Chapel Hill, told The N&O via email. “We’re asking drivers to slow down and be mindful of everyone who is out and about.”
Roads that could be snarled with traffic include Estes Drive and Manning Drive. The town urges people to exercise patience on these main thoroughfares that lead to UNC:
- Fordham Boulevard
- Franklin Street
- Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard
- Raleigh Road
- South Columbia Street
UNC encourages people to plan their routes ahead of time and consider taking park-and-ride options. Here are some road closures and restrictions the university shared on its website:
- “Stadium Drive will be closed beginning Thursday, April 9 at 5 p.m. through Sunday, April 12 at 11:59 p.m.
- Access to South Road will be restricted Saturday, April 11 at 1 p.m. through Sunday, April 12 at 7 p.m.
- Event parking lots will be restricted starting at 10 a.m. Saturday and 7 a.m. Sunday.”
So, what time could traffic on other roads pick up? Here’s the game day schedule from the Savannah Bananas website:
- Saturday, April 11: Festivities start at 2 p.m.
- Sunday, April 12: Festivities start at 10 a.m.
Parking on game day
On the two game days, there are special event prices at town parking lots and decks. The $20 flat rates start at 3 p.m. Saturday, April 11 and noon Sunday, April 12.
“The easiest place to park in downtown is at the 125 E. Rosemary Street Deck — just steps from Franklin Street and about an 18-minute walk to Kenan Stadium,” Acker wrote.
The town said the following parking lots won’t have game day pricing but could appeal to drivers who don’t have tickets to see the Savannah Bananas:
- 415 W. Franklin St.
- 425 W. Franklin St.
- 505 W. Franklin St (South Graham Street)
A list of on-campus parking options is available on the UNC website. To buy $40 parking passes for the games from Carolina Athletics, visit: goheels.evenue.net/events/PSAVB.
Shuttles to Savannah Bananas games
Tar Heel Express is offering shuttles to and from the Savannah Bananas games. The town said pick-up locations include:
- Downtown, near 138 E. Franklin St.
- Friday Center Park and Ride
- Southern Village Park and Ride
Shuttle rides cost $10 for fans ages 1 year and older. Here’s when you can take them:
- Saturday, April 11: Shuttles start at 12:30 p.m. and end 45 minutes after the game
- Sunday, April 12: Shuttles start at 8:30 a.m. and end 45 minutes after the game
The Savannah Bananas and UNC didn’t share additional information with The News & Observer on April 6 and April 8.
Reporter Shelby Swanson contributed to this story.
This story was originally published April 10, 2026 at 5:30 AM.
