Fall Campus Parking Updates: Collins Hall Lot, Move-in, I-35 Construction

Media Contact: Lori Fogleman, Baylor University Media and Public Relations, 254-709-5959
Follow us on Twitter: @BaylorUMedia

WACO, Texas (Aug. 11, 2022) – As Baylor University prepares for the Fall 2022 semester, the community of students, faculty and staff will notice some changes to streets and parking lots around campus due to ongoing construction and during Move-in but also will enjoy some major progress on I-35 construction.

The Baylor community has exhibited tremendous patience and resilience during a long season of construction and disruption. It will be important for everyone to remain alert while driving, walking and biking in construction zones, continue to plan ahead and always "Know Before You Go."

Collins Hall Parking Lot

In May, construction crews began a year-long renovation of Collins Residence Hall. Since this area is an an active construction zone, the parking lot behind Collins Hall is closed for safety reasons.

Here’s what you need to know:

• The 80 parking spaces from the Collins lot have been shifted to the first floor of 8^th Street Garage and remain available for faculty and staff.
• This shift in parking will add some additional walking time, estimated less than 10 minutes, to nearby buildings.
• The reserved parking area behind Harris House will remain open during construction.

For more information, please contact Parking and Transportation Services at 254-710-7275 (PARK) or parking@baylor.edu.

Move-in Parking Lot Closures, Traffic Routes

In preparation for Move-In 2022 on Wednesday and Thursday, Baylor University will CLOSE some campus parking lots and interior streets beginning at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 16, and will change traffic patterns during the morning Wednesday, Aug. 17, and Thursday, Aug. 18. Faculty and staff will receive an email next week with this information, including any updates.

All affected lots and streets are listed below. NOTE: All cars that have not been moved by 8 p.m. will be towed to the Ferrell Center parking lot. It is the owner’s responsibility to confirm any perceived exemption/exception from towing. Please contact parking services at 254-710-7275 (PARK).

Parking Lot Closures for Tuesday, Aug. 16 – Wednesday, Aug. 17

The parking lots/slots listed below will be closed from 6 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 16, through 1 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 17:

• Kokernot Hall (from the drive behind Brooks Flats through to Dutton Avenue)
• Speight Avenue between 7th and 8th streets (both sides)
• Baylor Avenue from 7th to 8th streets (both sides)
• M.P. Daniel between 5th and 7th streets
• All street parking on 3rd, 4th and 7th streets
• Front Drive of North Russell Hall
• Martin Hall Parking

Parking Lot Closures for Wednesday, Aug. 17 And Thursday, Aug. 18

The parking lots/slots listed below will be closed from 6 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 17, through 1 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 18:

• Kokernot Hall (from the drive behind Brooks Flats through to Dutton Avenue)
• Baylor Avenue from 7th to 8th streets (both sides)
• Wiethorn Visitors Center Parking Lot
• All street parking on 3rd, 4th and 7th streets
• Front Drive of North Russell Hall
• Front Drive of South Russell Hall
• Penland Hall Parking
• Martin Hall Parking and the entire Bookstore parking area (1^st floor of 5^th Street Garage)

Move-in Traffic Pattern Changes

Baylor will redirect traffic patterns from 7:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 16, and Thursday, Aug. 17, to help facilitate the Move-in process. Faculty and staff should plan an alternate route to their destination on both days during the morning hours.

• All traffic on 5th, 4th and 3rd streets will flow FROM Speight Avenue TOWARD I-35.
• Head-in parking on MP Daniel (next to SUB) is not available on Wednesday morning.
• Dutton will flow from 8th to 5th – then re-routed to the Northbound frontage road. (4th Street is closed from Dutton to frontage road as I-35 construction crews complete that road work).

More information about Move-In can be found at www.baylor.edu/move2bu.

I-35 Construction Update

Faculty, staff and students returning to campus for the fall will notice some major progress on I-35, as TxDOT has opened all northbound and southbound mainlanes throughout the six-mile construction zone through Waco and Bellmead, including by the Baylor campus. Please note that additional work is still needed to complete the project such as side streets, various sidewalks and ADA pedestrian signals, aesthetic features and frontage roads.

Here's what you need to know:

• Construction continues realigning 4th and 5th streets to traditional T-intersections at the I-35 frontage roads from downtown Waco under the interstate to the Baylor campus.
• TxDOT expects to have 5th Street under I-35 and 4th Street to Dutton Avenue by the new Mark and Paula Hurd Welcome Center open by the first day of classes on Aug. 22.
• With 5th Street closed under I-35, traffic is directed to the southbound I-35 frontage road where drivers can use newly constructed 12th Street to cross under I-35 and access 5th Street from the northbound frontage road. Only the eastbound lane on 12th Street will be open to traffic and stop signs are placed at this intersection.
• One night during Move-in, crews plan to finish paving work on one half of the I-35 northbound frontage road at University Parks Drive. This work is expected to be completed during the overnight hours and will not impact Move-in traffic.

University Parks Drive will continue to be under construction throughout the fall semester. TxDOT’s work on University Parks Drive will begin when the City of Waco completes its infrastructure work on South University Parks Drive toward downtown.

It’s helpful to plan ahead and use waco4bmap.org for real-time traffic and pedestrian crossing information on I-35 through Waco. Follow @TxDOTWaco on Twitter for updates on construction activities and lane closures.

ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY

Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked Research 1 institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 20,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 90 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions.