Notre Dame football fans face parking changes

SOUTH BEND — Fans arriving in town for Saturday’s Notre Dame vs. Rice season-opener football game will notice a few changes when it comes to parking.

Here’s what’s different this year:

•Guests arriving for the game in recreational vehicles will no longer park in White Field to the north of campus, but instead in the parking lot surrounding Notre Dame Federal Credit Union, near the intersection of Moreau Drive and St. Joseph Drive.

•Game-day parking for people with disabilities has shifted to a large new lot at the southwest corner of Twyckenham Drive and Bulla Road. For access to this lot, the driver must present a state-issued disabled placard or a qualifying license plate at the time of entry.

•About two-thirds of the Hesburgh Library parking lot is fenced off for upcoming construction of a campus research building. Some motorists who have reserve hang tags to park in that “L” lot will be shifted to other parking lots just to the north of the library lot.

The additional spaces available in the lots just north of the library lot will more than accommodate the number of spaces lost to construction, says Phillip Johnson, director of Notre Dame Security Police.

And the shift of RVs to the credit union lot means owners will be able to park their vehicles on a surface parking lot, rather than grass, he said.

Before and after the game, fans should pay attention to signs and instructions of police officers directing traffic, rather than heeding the advice of vehicle GPS systems, Johnson said.

Up-to-date traffic information will be available on Twitter from Indiana State Police at: @ndtraffic.

Other traffic details for fans to keep in mind:

•Douglas Road north of campus will be open to two-way traffic before, during and after games, but travel may be limited at times afterward to allow for outbound traffic to depart from the parking fields.

•Fans arriving via Indiana Toll Road exit 77 who don’t have reserved parking passes on campus may drive directly east on Douglas Road to park in White Field, which offers parking both north and south of the roadway. The fee is $30 per car (up from $25 last year). Parking in White Field is free for Notre Dame employees and their families who show a valid university permit.

•The RV parking fee is $150 per game this year (up from $140 last year). RV parking is permitted from 7:30 a.m. to three hours after the game. No overnight stays.

Free shuttle buses run between White Field and Hesburgh Library beginning at 6 a.m. on game days and run continuously until pickup stops are clear.

Stadium bag policy

Fans are prohibited from bringing large bags such as backpacks, duffel bags and totes into the stadium on game days. Smaller bags, such as purses, are allowed but will be inspected by trained security personnel, as will blankets, coats, ponchos and other similar items.

Shuttle buses

Free Enterprise System Inc., a private company, will offer round-trip shuttle bus rides for a fee from parking areas at Saint Mary's College, Holy Cross College, the former St. Joseph High School building on Indiana 933 and Fiddler's Hearth, 127 S. Main St. in downtown South Bend. There will be one shuttle bus from South Bend Regional Airport leaving for campus at 12:45 p.m. on game Saturdays. For shuttle prices and how to purchase tickets, visit: www.freeenterprisesystem.com/notre-dame-shuttle.html or call 800-323-5281.

Tailgating rules

Tailgating is permitted in campus parking areas before and after games, but prohibited during games. Propane grills weighing less than 20 pounds are permitted, but charcoal grills are not. Alcohol is permitted in campus tailgating areas, but kegs are not.

For more information about Notre Dame fan policies and a schedule of campus weekend activities, visit: gameday.nd.edu.

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