Students — and traffic — returning to UNLV

By Kyle B. Hansen (contact)

Saturday, Aug. 21, 2010 | 2:05 a.m.

Traffic around UNLV will increase Monday as 28,000 students return to classes for the fall semester.

And while school officials say there is plenty of parking on campus, the start of school is always the most difficult time to get around.

University officials recommend avoiding Maryland Parkway during the first few weeks of school. The road is one of the busiest near campus for vehicles and pedestrians.

Students coming from the southern valley may also want to also avoid using the McCarran Airport connector tunnel to get to the university. Work on roads near the tunnel has closed one northbound lane in the tunnel and causes occasional backups.

For the first week of school, electronic message boards will be posted near major entry points to the campus to advise motorists.

School officials recommend students familiarize themselves with the campus parking maps online before arriving.

They also suggest students be patient and arrive early for classes to have time to find parking.

The best places to find parking are generally in the Thomas & Mack Center lots (access from Tropicana Avenue or Swenson Street), the north parking garage (access from Cottage Grove Avenue or Claymont Street) and the Tropicana parking garage (in the Thomas & Mack Center lot near the Cox Pavilion).

Officials also recommend students carpool, which can save parking spaces. The university participates in the Regional Transportation Commission’s Club Ride program. Participating students and faculty can split the cost of a parking permit, which can be transferred between vehicles registered with parking services.

All cars parked on campus require permits, which can be purchased online or at the Parking & Transportation Services office.

Students in need of assistance can visit UNLV's Parking & Transportation Services website or call 895-1300.