Change your commute route Aug. 18-22 for student move-in

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As students begin arriving on campus for the fall semester, UAB Transportation recommends traveling an alternate route to work Aug. 18-20, when the highest number of students will be moving into on-campus housing.

From 7 a.m.-9 p.m. Aug. 18-22, students will move into residence halls, and first-year residences Camp, Blazer and McMahon halls will see the highest amounts of traffic; this year’s move-in is structured around social-distancing guidelines. Move-in traffic will approach west campus from Interstate 65 and will blend with traditional morning commute traffic; employees entering campus from I-65 should stay in the left lane down University Boulevard approaching 16th Street South, says Marc Booker, executive director of Student Housing and Dining. Surrounding side streets will be monitored by UAB Police from entering the move-in line from alternate locations.

Planning an alternate route is the best way to ensure your commute isn’t affected negatively by move-in days, says Brian Atkinson, program manager for transportation demand management. He recommends using traffic apps such as Google MapsApple Maps or Waze to monitor traffic congestion information during travel time.

UAB Transportation recommends avoiding several general areas on campus where normal commuting routes will be affected by student move-in:

  • 10th Avenue South between 16th and 17th streets, which will be closed 6 p.m. Aug. 17- 6 p.m. Aug. 22
  • Eastbound lanes of University Boulevard between I-65 and 16th Street South
  • Southbound lanes of 13th and 16th streets between University Boulevard and 10th Avenue South
  • All lanes of Ninth Avenue South between 16th and 18th streets

Additionally, heavy construction traffic is expected on 14th Street South, specifically between the Chemistry Building and Heritage Hall, as construction on the Science and Engineering Complex continues.


Blazer Express routes will not change during move-in days, Atkinson says. Monitor Blazer Express bus locations in real time on the Doublemap Bus Tracker app, available for iOS and Android, or at doublemap.uab.edu.

Visit uab.edu/facilities for updates on construction and road closures. 

2021 Move In Day Traffic mapClick to enlarge