The University of Memphis Tigers' game with the University of Tennessee Volunteers this Saturday is causing a stir with city traffic officials, especially since it is also the end of the Mid-South Fair.
The Memphis Police Department, The City of Memphis Parks Division and the Memphis Area Transit Authority (MATA) are warning the public "to plan ahead to avoid parking and traffic congestion in the area of the Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium and the Fairgrounds this weekend."
Some students are planning to camp out and tailgate Friday night.
"We'll be tailgating in Tobey field off of Central and Hollywood," said Josh Crawford, freshman sports management major. "It's going to be fun."
Vince Higgins of the MPD said that beginning Friday there will be heightened patrol in the area of the Liberty Bowl and Fairgrounds.
"We will have 40 plus special defense and reserve officers in the (Liberty Bowl) area and traffic detail in place," Higgins said. "The Tillman, Union and Airways Stations will be doing routine patrol as well."
In an effort to prevent problems, the MPD warns motorists to avoid the East Parkway (Airways) Bridge because it is still under construction and there will be "major traffic delays."
The suggested route from south Memphis areas is I-240 north to Lamar going east to Central Avenue to the Fairgrounds and the Liberty Bowl.
According to MATA, six shuttles will be transporting fans for $7 round trip from the following locations: Germantown Village Square on Poplar, Eastgate Shopping Center, Halle Stadium, Raleigh Springs Mall, Highway 64 in Bartlett (behind Colton's Steakhouse) and Collierville on Market Street (next to Perkin's Restaurant). Every shuttle will be leaving for the stadium at 9:15 a.m.
"We urge people to utilize the shuttles and to carpool," Higgins said.
MPD and Park Services suggest arriving at least two hours early in order to park in one of the three lots on Early Maxwell. They also suggest arriving one hour early to park in the School Board and Tobey Park area. Parking in the lots will cost $7.
Residential areas and public streets are also fair game for parking, but MPD officers will be patrolling and enforcing no parking zones.
"Motorists cannot block sidewalks and cannot obstruct traffic lanes or driveways," Higgins said. "No parking zones will be enforced stringently."
Many residents in the Liberty Bowl area make a profit by letting people park on their property.
The price of parking on residential property is not and cannot be controlled, according to Higgins.
"That is a civil agreement between two civilians," he said. "There is no way to enforce it."
Higgins also said that vehicles blocking or obstructing driveways will be towed by the resident of the property.
Students like Kyle Sheets, freshman undecided major, are not worried about the parking and traffic issues that thousands of others will have Saturday morning.
"We're going (to Tobey field) Friday morning and will probably pull an all nighter," Sheets said.
