UCSantaBarbara
As UC Santa Barbara gears up for the commencement of the fall quarter, the university has announced significant traffic and parking adjustments due to student move-in activities. The influx of students and their families onto campus is expected to cause heightened traffic congestion from Thursday, September 19, through Sunday, September 22.
Additionally, UCSB quietly announced its steering away from tradition this year by transforming its conventional convocation ceremony into a virtual series for new students without formal speeches and in-person activities normally held at the campus lagoon.
“We are continuously evaluating what works well and making refinements using student feedback to guide our efforts,” a statement from UCSB reads. “This year, we are focusing on interactive events where students can make new connections and directly experience all the programs and services our campus has to offer rather than asking students to attend a more formal session with speeches.”
The university has reportedly dodged questions as to why the customary in-person event was abruptly moved to virtual events and why the webpages in May were taken down, as reported by The Independent.
Students and alumni on social media are speculating it may be due to planned protests on campus, similar to those that prompted an abrupt venue change and guest ticket limitation for the June 2024 Commencement ceremonies. Amidst pressure from students and parents, the university reversed course on the location and expanded tickets.
Traffic Impacts to Goleta and Surrounding Areas
The move-in process will primarily affect the main campus and adjoining residential facilities along El Colegio Road. To manage the safe and efficient arrival of thousands, various campus parking lots will be temporarily closed or repurposed for move-in operations.
Key Traffic Impacts:
- A segment of westbound El Colegio Road will be closed to facilitate curbside loading for the move into Santa Catalina residence halls. This adjustment, approved by Santa Barbara County and overseen by professional traffic control contractors, will last from September 19 to 22.
- On September 19 and 20, East Campus Parking Lots 2, 4, 5, 8, and 9 will be inaccessible. Staff will have limited access to Parking Lots 1 and 3 and Parking Structure 10. Parking Lot 23 will also be closed, with limited exceptions, while Parking Structure 22 remains open but may be affected.
- Over the weekend of September 21 and 22, further closures include East Campus Parking Lots 2 to 6 and 8 to 9, with restricted access maintained for certain staff to specific lots and structures. Notably, almost all of Parking Lot 30 will be reserved on September 21 for a UCSB men’s soccer game, impacting available parking for move-in activities.
Due to anticipated dense traffic and ongoing construction on the 101 freeway and Highway 217, travelers are advised to exercise caution and patience. Delays are expected, and avoiding travel to campus during these dates, if possible, is recommended.
Real-time traffic conditions can be monitored via Caltrans QuickMap, and the UCSB Interactive Campus Map, available at UCSB’s website, provides additional guidance for navigating campus during this busy period.
