AMES, Iowa -- For the first time, Iowa State University is offering a free CyRide shuttle from central campus to the Iowa State Center on every home football gameday.
Cyclone fans can try it out for the first time this Thursday, Aug. 30, for the 7 p.m. home opener against Kent State.
Jerry Stewart, director of ISU's Department of Public Safety, says the shuttle offers a convenient and efficient way to get fans to the game while relieving congestion in public parking lots near the stadium.
"We've watched the success of the Iowa State Fair shuttles with great interest, and we think Cyclone fans will appreciate the convenience of free parking and a free shuttle to get to home football games," Stewart said.
Here's how it works:
On evenings and weekends, most parking on central campus is plentiful and free -- anyone can park in general (yellow) or reserved (red) lots. (Parking for persons with disabilities and 24-hour reserved spaces remain strictly enforced, however. Memorial Union ramp parking will be at the usual hourly rate). From there, fans can catch the CyRide football shuttle route from seven different stops:
- Stephens Auditorium (west side; both pick-up and drop-off)
- Wallace Road (near the greenhouses)
- Metals Development Building (Pammel Drive)
- Communications Building (Pammel Drive)
- College of Design (east side, on Bissell Road)
- Friley Hall (Union Drive)
- Memorial Union (north side, Union Drive)
The free shuttle, which is being subsidized by ISU's Department of Public Safety and Athletics Department, will begin running two hours before kickoff and continue until approximately two hours after the game ends. Three CyRide buses will run every eight minutes before and after the game, and every 20 minutes during the game. The free shuttle will deliver riders to the west side of Stephens Auditorium -- about one block from Jack Trice Stadium.
Public parking near the stadium has been reduced by approximately one-third, or about 1,500 spaces, due to university construction projects, reassignment of two lots for donor and Athletics Department use, and improvements on Beach Avenue. University officials also are concerned that continued wet weather may impact the remaining public parking, which is not hard surfaced. Additional rainfall in those grass and gravel lots may make them unsuitable for parking this Thursday. Public parking near the stadium is $15 for cars and $20 to $30 for RVs and buses.
"We want to encourage everyone to come to the game, relax and enjoy themselves," Stewart said. "Taking the free CyRide shuttle is a quick, easy and hassle-free way to get there. Once people try it, we believe this is going to become a very popular option."