The UC Berkeley graduation season gets underway this week and commuters should expect heavy traffic in and around campus, which could affect access to the Lab’s sites. 

The kick-off commencement event in California Memorial Stadium is this Saturday, May 11, with many streets closed off and traffic redirected before the stadium opens at 8:30 a.m. and the program starts at 10:30 a.m. 

Ruben Lizardo, the director of local government and community relations at UC Berkeley’s Office of the Chancellor, expects the commencement will be the largest event held within the City of Berkeley since the fall football season. “We anticipate that as many as 40,000 people will be trying to get to the stadium by car, public transportation, or foot.”

Lizardo indicated that the traffic circulation plan calls for the closure of several streets near Memorial Stadium prior to and during the main commencement ceremony. More specifically, Stadium Rim Way between Gayley Rd. and Centennial Dr. will be closed from 7:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The City of Berkeley Police Department will provide traffic control assistance in the vicinity of Piedmont Ave., Haste Street, College Ave., Dwight Way, and Warring St. Road closures or redirections will be in place from 7:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on the following streets: 

  • Channing Way between Bowditch St. and College Ave.
  • Dwight Way between College Ave. and Warring St.
  • Warring St. between Dwight Way and Bancroft Ave.
  • Bancroft Ave. between Warring St. and Piedmont Ave. (ADA guests and residents may pass through this closure)
  • Piedmont Ave. and Gayley Rd. between Bancroft Way and Hearst Ave.

In addition, a number of parking metered spaces near Memorial Stadium and in this southside neighborhood will be designated as No Parking or Tow Away zone areas. Please adhere to all posted restricted parking signs. If you are making your way through the neighborhood that day, please pay close attention to and follow all traffic control signs.  Please use the following link to review information about road closures.

https://pt.berkeley.edu/special-events/spring-commencement/road-closures

Commencement Website

The University has established a website with information students, guests and neighbors can use to navigate the campus and Berkeley successfully.  The site also includes information about the main commencement and departmental graduations. 

 https://commencement.berkeley.edu/

 
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