Traffic changes planned for Southeastern commencement May 13
Friday, May 5, 2017
by: Tonya Lowentritt
Motorists and visitors planning to attend Southeastern Louisiana University’s commencement
ceremonies on Saturday, May 13, should anticipate heavy traffic and route changes
affecting University Avenue (Hwy. 3234) between Interstate 55 and North Cherry Street.
Michele Kidd Sutton, the president and chief executive officer of North Oaks
Health System in Hammond, will address approximately 1,100 graduates who will receive
associate, bachelor, master and doctoral degrees at the 10 a.m. ceremony in the University
Center.
Harold Todd, director of University Police, said the section of University Avenue
between West Lion Lane and SGA Drive will be restricted from 7 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. that
day. Local traffic will be allowed to proceed on University Avenue for as long as
possible but will be diverted through the campus as congestion increases.
Prior to commencement, the University Center parking areas are expected to fill
early, and all traffic on University Avenue will be diverted to main campus via North
General Pershing Street and SGA Drive. Eastbound commencement traffic will be diverted
to West Lion Lane for parking at the University Center, and westbound commencement
traffic will be diverted to the campus at SGA Drive.
“Traffic will begin to get heavy early in the morning,” said Todd. “We anticipate
the parking areas around the University Center to be filled before 9 a.m.”
Additional parking spaces around the University Center will be set aside for
vehicles with appropriate handicapped placards. Individuals requiring handicap accommodations
should try to arrive as early as possible.
Vacant parking spaces in the Southeastern Oaks/Greek Village complex will also
be used for this event. Residents are requested to use the back gate near the laundry
facility and maintenance warehouse for entering and exiting between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m.
Southeastern Lion Traxx shuttle buses will be in operation before and after the
ceremony to accommodate those parking in outlying areas or needing special transportation
assistance, Todd said. Shuttle stops will be marked with signs and/or canopies.
Drivers not attending commencement are asked to use U.S. 190 (Thomas Street and
Morris Street) or Natalbany Road (Hwy. 1064) to avoid University Avenue traffic.
Southeastern students wishing to return rental textbooks that day should wait
until after 2 p.m. to do so.