What You Need to Know in Fall 2024: Getting Around Campus
Purple Line Progress; New Bike Lanes Clear the Way for Smoother Commutes
Workers construct a colorful Purple Line station near Stamp Student Union. The Art-in-Transit program is giving each of the 21 stations in the state of Maryland's light-rail project a striking visual identity.
Photo by John T. Consoli
That jaunt to the far corner of campus just got significantly easier.
The University of Maryland worked with the state Department of Transportation, the project owner, to accelerate major construction of the light-rail Purple Line in the core of campus, and it’s reaching completion a year ahead of the previous schedule. As a result, pedestrians and drivers alike can now travel Campus Drive, the main east-west artery at UMD, with a level of convenience unknown in recent years.
“Traveling on and around campus will be easier with Purple Line construction reduced in the campus core, along with new bike lanes and the improvements on Baltimore Avenue,” said Carlo Colella, vice president and chief administrative officer. “It’s very exciting to see several projects reach major milestones for the start of the fall semester.”
Among other new developments: Bright green bike lanes extend down two major campus roadways, and a 15 mph campus speed limit gives drivers more time to react to surprises from scooter and bike riders, other drivers and pedestrians.
Read on to find out what else has changed.
Purple Line
Among the most noticeable improvements on campus is the resumption, for now, of two-way traffic on Campus Drive between Regents Drive near the flower-filled M and Alumni Drive at Lots 1 and Z. (One-way traffic on that stretch will return when light rail trains begin operational testing, expected in Fall 2026.)
Crews in that area will install lighting, aerial wiring and other elements related to the Purple Line. Its 16-mile route will extend from New Carrollton in Prince George’s County to Bethesda in Montgomery County and include five stations on or near campus, expanding access to the surrounding region after its scheduled opening in winter 2027.
In other Purple Line-related work around campus:
Illustration courtesy of DOTS
- Light-rail tracks have been embedded in Campus Drive from Regents Drive to Alumni Drive, and the university is urging caution for cyclists, e-scooter riders and wheelchair users due to gaps in the rails, including crossing the rails at a 90-degree angle. Micromobility vehicles should use designated bike paths, and wheelchair users should use sidewalks.
To find the most up-to-date information on road closures and detours, visit UMD’s Purple Line website for impacts on campus and the official Purple Line website for impacts beyond campus. Contact purpleline@umd.edu to report accessibility issues or with other related questions.
To subscribe to text alerts when the state schedules a significant sidewalk or roadway closure for the Purple Line, text “UMDPURPLE” to 888777.
For accessible pedestrian routes, go to the online UMD Campus Map, select the "Directions" tab, then click the "Accessible Pathways" checkbox to see accessible campus routes.
Baltimore Avenue
The
$29 million upgrade of Baltimore Avenue in College Park is largely
complete, including a new median, new bike lanes, widened sidewalks,
resurfaced roadways and improved street lighting.
The 1.4-mile
effort by the State Highway Administration enhances safety for
pedestrians, transit riders, bicyclists and motorists in one of the
region’s most traveled corridors. The only work remaining is median
plantings in the fall, and the completion of the intersection with
Rossborough Lane, which will be constructed as part of the Purple Line
project.
Photo by Riley N. Sims
Micromobility
Cyclists, e-scooter riders and others can take advantage of new bike lanes along Campus Drive from Regents Drive to Alumni Drive; the Paint Branch Drive bike path runs from Campus Drive to Regents Drive near the Xfinity Center parking lots. The Department of Transportation Services (DOTS) advises riders and drivers alike to focus on safety while getting used to the new traffic patterns.
“It’s new and exciting for micromobility users.,” said Emily Cosci, DOTS assistant director of communications. “But even with a separated path it’s important for riders and drivers to obey traffic signs and stay alert.”
DOTS requires registration of privately owned e-bikes and e-scooters; new this year, registrants will have to first complete the Micromobility at UMD online training course and bring a certificate of completion to the DOTS office in Regents Drive Garage to register. E-vehicles, including bikes, scooters and skateboards, are not allowed inside campus buildings—including bike storage rooms—and violation of the policy will result in impoundment of the vehicle, a fine and for students, a referral to the Office of Student Conduct.
Parking
While few changes to available lots have occurred since last school year, the university has raised visitor parking fees for the first time in more than a decade—to $4 an hour and up to $20 per day.
Shuttle-UM
Cosci urged riders to download UMD’s Transit app, which allows Shuttle-UM riders to view real-time route information including arrival times, as well as to plan trips on UMD’s bus service and beyond. New riders can get tips at “RIDE 101: Intro to Shuttle-UM.”
In addition, several routes have changed: DOTS combined two previous Shuttle-UM routes to create the 104 College Park Metro/Discovery District Route. The 104 will provide weekday service in a loop that includes camps, the College Park Metro Station, and Riverdale Park Station. The 105 Campus Connector bus that previously stopped at Lot 4 will take a different route with increased bus availability for North Campus (Lot 4 permit holders looking for a lift can catch 104 College Park Metro/Discovery District bus at the corner of Regents and Paint Branch drives). The 127 Mazza GrandMarc route will not operate this fall based on a decision by the building’s management not to renew shuttle service, but the 128 The Nine route will serve the area along Baltimore Avenue and Rhode Island Avenue that was previously a part of the 127 line.
Topics:
Schools & Departments: