Game poses restrictions on traffic, parking

Traffic is expected to be heavy around Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium today as the Pirates take on UAB, according to police, particularly on Charles Boulevard and East 14th Street before and after the 3:30 p.m. game time.

ECU parking lots will open at 9:30 a.m. and motorists not traveling to the game should avoid streets around the stadium including 14th Street, Elm Street, Charles and Greenville boulevards, the Greenville Police Department said.

A parking lots adjacent to the stadium will be reserved for fans with permits. Public parking will be available at the Brody School of Medicine. Shuttles will run between the stadium and the Brody lots on West Fifth Street.

Private parking lots in residential areas may be subject to towing. Pirate's Place Townhomes off Charles Boulevard has experienced continued problems with illegal parking, a manger there said. Non-residents will be towed from complex.

The Greenville Police Department and the State Highway Patrol will manage traffic. Beginning two hours prior to the game and one and a half hours after. 14th Street will be closed from Charles Boulevard to College Hill Drive and Berkeley Road during game times.

Parking on both sides of West 14th Street from Elm Street to Berkley Road will be by visible permit only, and no traffic will allowed on West 14th between those two streets without a parking pass.

After the game, motorists will find the following restrictions:

• No through traffic will be allowed on West 14th Street from Elm Street. Traffic exiting the C.M. Eppes parking lot will be diverted west in a lane on 14th Street and turn right on College Hill Drive to 10th Street.
• All traffic exiting Berkley Road will be diverted east onto 14th Street and all three lanes will be eastbound; the left lane will turn left (north) at Elm Street, the center lane will flow east on 14th and cross Elm Street to Greenville Boulevard and the right lane will turn right (south) at Elm Street.
• No traffic will be allowed west on 14th Street from Charles Boulevard.
• Charles Boulevard will be closed to southbound traffic at 14th Street and diverted west on 14th Street toward Evans Street.
• No traffic will be allowed north on Charles Boulevard from Greenville Boulevard. Traffic from Red Banks Road will be diverted right from Charles onto Greenville Boulevard.

Public parking will be available at the Brody School parking lot, with shuttle bus service available to and from Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium for a $5 charge.

Construction of a new softball field next to Clark-LeClair Stadium will put an end to parking and tailgating on the grass field at that location for the entire season.

In addition, public parking at the Carol Belk Building across from the baseball/softball complex is now be reserved for Pirate Club members only.