Eugene (KMTR) - Friday football games usually create headaches for businesses and residents in the shadows of Autzen Stadium. Friday’s Pac-12 Championship game between Oregon and UCLA is no exception.A handful of businesses on Centennial Loop, north of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard are bracing for the crowds of fans. The kickoff is set for 5 p.m. but game-goers in search of parking will begin showing up around noon. With thousands of fans headed in their direction—and clients who won’t want to compete with traffic—some businesses will close early Friday.
“My first reaction is, it's a Duck game, and since we're big fans, we’ve got to be there. My second reaction is, ‘It's going to be a big mess!’” said Rodger Deevers, who runs a business on Centennial Loop.
This is not the first time businesses in the area have had to deal with the parking predicament. Some make the most of it by selling their parking spots, and donating the money to local non-profits and charitable organizations.
Getting to the stadium without a car will be more difficult for this game because half of the Lane Transit District fan shuttle routes which typically operate for Oregon football games will not be in use Friday.
Shuttles will not run from South Eugene and Thurston High Schools, or from LTD’s River Road and Springfield Stations. The four routes that will be in use are the Lane County Fairgrounds, Symantec in Springfield, Valley River Center and the Eugene downtown LTD station.
A fifth park and ride location has been added at the Eugene Christian Fellowship on Game Farm Road.
The roundtrip fare is $6. LTD Season passes will not be accepted.
