This week, Temple will welcome more than 4,700 students and their families to our residence halls on Main Campus. Members of the Temple community have been working hard to organize Welcome Week activities, and we’d like to highlight several areas that will help ensure a smooth start to the school year.

With the increased volume of people and vehicles expected this week, it is important that students, faculty and staff are aware of recent changes in traffic patterns and parking areas that will affect everyone traveling to Main Campus, especially on Wednesday and Thursday when the largest number of students will be moving in. Please familiarize yourself with the changes indicated below and in a comprehensive map downloadable from the Facilities Management web site (.pdf).

The following street closures will be in effect:
West of Broad Street

• Due to ongoing renovations to Pearson and McGonigle halls, 15th Street remains closed between Norris Street and Montgomery Avenue.
  • Only faculty and staff with permits to park in Lot 1 may travel on 15th Street from Norris Street to access the lot.
     
  • To enter Liacouras Garage, travel north on Sydenham Street from Cecil B. Moore Avenue.  Turn right on Montgomery Avenue, then right on 15th Street.

• Construction on Pearson-McGonigle also has necessitated closure of Montgomery Avenue between 15th and Broad Streets.

East of Broad Street

• Through Friday, August 26th,  11th Street from Montgomery Avenue to Norris Street will be reduced to one lane.
   
• Park Avenue, next to 1300 residence hall, is closed due to construction on the residential complex at Broad Street and Cecil B. Moore Avenue.
   
• Work on the underground steam system at Cecil B. Moore Ave. and Liacouras Walk near Ritter Annex will continue for approximately 6-8 weeks, however, only half of the street will be closed at one time.

For up to date information on street closures related to Temple construction, visit the Office of Facilities Management web site.

In addition, Parking Services has noted the following changes that will impact parking capacity in Temple lots and on-street parking surrounding campus:

• Effective immediately, the dirt lot between Warnock Street and 11th Street on Montgomery Avenue is closed to parking as the lot is made ready for work on a new parking structure planned for that area.
   
• Throughout Move In, Lot 8, the Nicoletti Lot accessible via Cecil B. Moore Avenue at 12th Street, will be open at a reduced rate of $8 per day

The latest information about parking rates and availability is available at the Office of Parking Services web site.

To reduce congestion and ensure a timely commute to campus during Welcome Week, we ask that all members of the Temple community plan ahead and allow extra time, especially on Wednesday and Thursday. In addition, several transportation programs are available to help reduce auto congestion year-round, while mitigating Temple's overall impact on the environment:

• SEPTA: The public transportation system's web site allows users to plan their trip, view schedules and maps and purchase fares.
   
• Zimride: Through the university's partnership with this on-line ride-sharing service, students, faculty and staff can arrange travel with those who share similar commuting patterns. The private, Temple-only network requires use of a Temple email address or Facebook network account before users can share details of their own commutes and find matching rides.
   
• Bike Temple: With the recent addition of bike racks and other biking resources, cycling is a convenient means of commuting to campus. Temple's cycling community is coordinated through the Bike Temple web site, which shows the locations and capacities of Main Campus bike racks, offers biking tips and provides a forum and information for bike commuters.

Thank you for your help in making Welcome Week 2011 a success. We appreciate your hard work and patience during this exciting time at Temple.

— Anthony Wagner, Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer