Expect traffic snarls Monday morning for UO's commencement ceremony at Autzen
As the University of Oregon prepares for its first in-person commencement ceremony in three years, the university warns the graduation excitement will come with heavy traffic Monday morning as up to 30,000 people are expected to attend.
The university ceremony will be at 9 a.m. Monday. This year's commencement, although closer to a "normal" ceremony than the virtual settings seen through the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021, is different from what alumni may have experienced in the past.
There will be no grad parade this year, a long-standing tradition at the university. Instead, the graduating students will meet starting at 7:30 a.m. before the ceremony and walk to Autzen Stadium as a group – new event called the "Gra(n)d Entrance." According to the university's website, students should enter Autzen Stadium at the Mo Gate and gather at the Moshofsky Plaza.
Participation in the Gra(n)d Entrance is optional, but in order to join in, students must be in line at the plaza in their regalia by 8:15 a.m.
With this early scheduling, family and friends should expect heavy traffic around the university, compounded with standard weekday rush hour. UO spokesperson Kay Jarvis said that the university is expecting up to 30,000 attendees on Monday.
Jarvis explained that along with the Class of 2022 graduates, the Classes of 2020 and 2021 are invited back to the school to participate in the in-person ceremony they were not able to attend when they graduated. She added that because the ceremony is being held in Autzen Stadium as opposed to the Matthew Knight Arena – where it is normally held – the usual capacity cap per student also does not exist this year.
How to plan ahead
Students and parents are urged to arrive early – the entrance begins at 8:15 a.m. Parking will be limited and on "first-come, first-served basis." The stadium lot will open at 6:30 a.m. and there will not be any on-campus parking other than those with designated ADA placards/plates, according to the website.
UO encourages guests and graduates to carpool or ride share to the stadium to minimize traffic and parking issues.
Eugene police will manage traffic flow similar to what is done for a home football game, according a Friday morning Eugene police advisory.
Traffic is expected to be most congested at Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Coburg Road between Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and campus.
EPD advises those not attending the ceremony seek out alternative routes on Monday morning to avoid heavy traffic. Alternative routes may include the Washington/Jefferson Street Bridge, Delta Highway, Cal Young Road, Harlow Road, Goodpasture Island Road or Green Acres/Crescent Avenue.
EPD asked those attending the ceremony to consider walking, biking or taking the bus to Autzen Stadium.
After the ceremony ends, free shuttle buses will transport guests from Autzen Stadium to campus. The university urges attendees to stay parked at Autzen and use the shuttles. Any parked car on campus without a proper permit may be cited.
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More excitement at UO
During the commencement ceremony, two special guests will be highlighted.
Two-time Olympic gold medalist Ashton Eaton will deliver the commencement address to the university on Monday. Eaton, who graduated from UO in 2010, won gold medals in the 2012 Olympics in London and the 2016 Olympics in Rio for the decathlon, where he set a world record.
Film director and producer James Ivory will also be honored at the ceremony, receiving an honorary doctorate. Ivory is a 1951 UO graduate and has produced more than 40 films since earning a UO degree in fine and applied arts. Ivory has been a consistent donor to the university, according to a news release. He was approved as a nominee for an honorary degree in the 2019-20 school year and will now receive his honorary doctorate at Monday's ceremony.
UO will hold 45 other commencement and graduation ceremonies celebrating different departments and groups of students.
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There will also be on-campus events Monday that family, friends and students can attend between ceremonies including an open house at Oregon Hall and the "GradFest" at the Erb Memorial Union. Both events will offer snacks, refreshments and photo opportunities. All university museums and classroom buildings will be open to the public.
Department and community-based ceremonies can be found at https://commencement.uoregon.edu/ceremonies. General information about UO commencement can be found at https://commencement.uoregon.edu/.
Miranda Cyr reports on education for The Register-Guard. You can contact her at mcyr@registerguard.com or find her on Twitter @mirandabcyr.
This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: University of Oregon commencement ceremony Monday, expect traffic
