BATON ROUGE — LSU Chancellor Dr. Mark Emmert and top University officials are joining together in a campaign to urge people to car pool to the remaining LSU Tiger football games and to join in an effort to help keep the campus clean during the game-day activities.
With the rains over the past two weeks, several grass parking areas that fans normally gravitate to are not going to be fully available for this week’s game with Utah State. Most notable among those spots is the 1,200-car grass lot that was formally the front nine holes of the LSU Golf Course. The Burbank triangle area across from that lot is also questionable for parking at best even if there is no more rain prior to game day.
Also Chancellor Emmert indicated that several areas not formally roped off in the past will be roped off starting Saturday to prevent further damage to the oak trees and grass areas on campus.
“We urge people to come early, to car pool or use the shuttle system that has been set up,” the Chancellor said.
The shuttle service picks up at three locations: the bus shelter, downtown on North Boulevard between the Centroplex Library and the Old State Capitol; the new Sheraton Hotel on St. Phillip Street at France Street; and, the Siegen Lane WalMart.
The round trip cost is $6 for the bus shelter and Sheraton routes round trip and $10 for the Siegen Lane Wal Mart round trip. The shuttle begins two hours prior to game time, dropping off passengers at the corner of Nicholson and North Stadium Drive. The last bus leaves Tiger Stadium for the return after the Tiger Band exits the stadium (in front of Mike the Tiger’s cage).
The shuttle proved popular for the opening week with seven busses running on the routes and LSU officials may ask for more to be added if demand warrants.
LSU fans are also being asked to bring or use plastic trash bags for their trash following their tailgating. Last week, some $25,000 in man hours and equipment was spent on hauling away the debris from the Saturday football game. Fortunately, last Monday was a holiday for students, but Dr. Emmert reminds fans that Monday is a school day and the campus must be made ready for another week of school.
“If fans will just pick up their trash, bag it and tie it and leave it at their site, we’ll be more than happy to pick it up and that makes it just that much easier for our crews after the game,” Dr. Emmert said.
While the crowds are not expected to be as large for this week’s game with Utah State as the record setting attendance for the Sept. 1 Tulane game, University officials are concerned about parking areas for the Sept. 15 Auburn contest when officials predict as many as 120,000 people may flock to the campus.