As noted in EVC Kliger's May 14 message, cyclists in Tuesday's Amgen Tour of California cycling race will travel down Empire Grade past the campus's West Entrance to Western Drive, Mission Street, Swift Street, West Cliff Drive, and finish the race on Beach Street near the Boardwalk. A map of the local race route and scheduled road closures can be viewed here:
http://www.tourofcalifornia-santacruz.com/race_day/transportation_and_parking
To accommodate the race, numerous local roadways - including the campus's West Entrance - will be closed as early as 1:30 p.m. and will stay closed until after the race passes, possibly as late as 4:30 p.m. Even after roads reopen, drivers will likely experience severe congestion as spectators leave the area. These roads include Empire Grade and High Street north of Western Drive; Western Drive; Mission Street between Western and Fair; Swift Street; and West Cliff Drive between Swift and Beach Street.
During this time, campus commuters should plan to use the Main Entrance at Bay/High and travel along Bay and Mission Streets.
Campus Transit will operate regular Day Core and Upper Campus service, while Loop shuttles will travel across campus via Hagar, McLaughlin and Heller between the Main Entrance and West Remote parking lot. SCMTD buses will enter the Main Entrance and loop counter-clockwise up Coolidge Drive and down Hagar before exiting the campus, with stops in the downhill direction only at Quarry Plaza, East Remote, The Village and Physical Plant. Those intending to ride Metro buses should rely on Day Shuttles to travel between the Quarry Plaza SCMTD stop and west campus locations.
Both Campus Transit and SCMTD transit services will return to normal when roadways along the race route reopen, estimated to be 4:30 p.m. at the latest. However, SCMTD service may be delayed due to severe congestion of off-campus roadways.
Vehicular access on the Westside of Santa Cruz - including UCSC facilities on Shaffer Road, Mission Street Extension, Delaware Avenue, and the Long Marine Lab - will be severely restricted, with limited detours near the race route:
. Northbound traffic on Mission Street will be diverted onto Fair, Delaware, Natural Bridges, Mission Street Extension, and Shaffer Road before returning to Highway 1 north of town. This route will accommodate traffic destined for Staff Human Resources and the Pacific Shores Apartments on Shaffer Road.
. Southbound traffic approaching town via Highway 1 will turn right from Mission onto Western, then proceed onto Natural Bridges Drive to Delaware. This route will accommodate traffic leaving Staff Human Resources and Pacific Shores.
. Traffic traveling to and from other Westside UCSC sites should use Delaware Avenue. One "controlled crossing" will be available at Swift and Delaware until approximately 2:30 p.m. when the racers arrive and will reopen once they pass; no access will be allowed while the racers pass along the route.
Westside staff should anticipate constrained access during the race and substantial traffic loads on locals streets before and after the race. Staff should consider rescheduling meetings and deliveries slated for Tuesday afternoon, and anticipate traffic delays affecting their end-of-day commute.
Additional information about the Amgen Tour of California is available here:
