Five Things You Need to Know About Getting Around Campus This Fall

Classroom assignments, course curricula and dining options aren’t the only things that shift with the arrival of the fall semester. Changes are also afoot (and a-bus) for commuters and other travelers on campus:

1. Campus Drive goes one-way near the Stamp
As construction of the Purple Line ramps up at the university this fall, Campus Drive will permanently transition into a one-way, westbound-only road from Regents Drive to Library Lane. (Those who were here during construction of the Edward St. John Learning and Teaching Center will be familiar with this traffic pattern.) Starting today, the first day of classes, drivers will want to find another way down the hill. The recommended eastbound detour is Stadium Drive.

You can find new commuting ideas through the UMD Smart Commute program.

2. The 104 Shuttle-UM weekend route keeps going
The weekend bus route to and from the College Park Metro Station will continue this fall, thanks to a partnership between the Department of Transportation Services (DOTS) and Maryland Athletics. In May, DOTS announced that it would be eliminated due to budget constraints. Now Athletics will provide new revenues over the next five years to support the route. “The university heard concerns from our community about the challenges that discontinuing the route would pose to our students, faculty and staff,” according to a joint statement from Linda Clement, vice president of student affairs, and Carlo Colella, vice president for administration and finance.

3. Daytime weekend service on five Shuttle-UM routes is reinstated 
In addition to the weekend 104, daytime weekend service on Shuttle-UM routes 116, 117, 118, 122 and 133 also resumed as usual with the start of the fall semester. (These previously had been slated for cuts too.)

4. Two Shuttle-UM routes take a new direction
As a result of Campus Drive going one-way west of the M Circle, the 104 and 105 Shuttle-UM routes—weekday and weekend—will now have new loops. Route 104 will service the Regents Drive Garage instead of Adele H. Stamp Student Union. The 105 route will continue to pick up and drop off riders westbound at the Stamp, but will circle around to Baltimore Avenue and Regents Drive. See updated route maps at transportation.umd.edu/schedules.html.

5. Columbia Park and Ride route is back
The 142 Columbia Park and Ride Shuttle-UM route resumed on Aug. 20. Working with a group of passengers, DOTS created an employee pay-to-ride pass for the route that is available through payroll deduction; 22 faculty and staff passengers have already done so, making it possible to run the 142 four times per day. Many of these employees also elected to opt out of parking. Occasional employee riders of the 142 may purchase bus bundle packs. Details are at go.umd.edu/142-signup. “We thank our dedicated group of passengers for partnering with us on this innovative funding solution for this coming semester,” said J. David Allen, DOTS executive director.