MANHATTAN, Kansas – As K-State football fans prepare to descend upon Manhattan for the home opener Saturday against South Dakota, all major roadways around Bill Snyder Family Stadium will be fully open for gameday traffic.
However, fans who are assigned parking through the Ahearn Fund in the east and west lots of the stadium should note that the ongoing construction of the Shamrock Practice Facility on the east side and the Morgan Family Volleyball Arena/Morris Family Olympic Training Center on the west side have resulted in new parking and traffic arrangements.
Kimball Avenue between Denison Avenue and Manhattan Avenue – which has been closed since October – will have all lanes of traffic open on gamedays allowing access to the stadium from Tuttle Creek Boulevard (US 24). This phase of the North Campus Corridor project resulted in the widening of the street to include a raised center median along the curves of the roadway and the demolition of the old cattle bridge over Kimball.
In addition, Kimball Avenue between Gate 5 and Gate 8 of the stadium has been reopened. This segment of construction includes left turn lanes into Gates 7 and 8, a new traffic signal at Kimball Avenue and Agricultural Road (Gate 8), a bus drop-off lane in front of the Vanier Complex and pedestrian facilities on the north and south sides of Kimball.
Vehicles needing access to the Vanier lot must now use Gate 7 as the old drive lane into the football complex has been removed. Also, fans who utilize the Agronomy Lot north of the stadium should be aware that they may only access the lot as they drive westbound as a new median on Kimball prevents a left-hand turn for eastbound traffic.
As part of the construction on the Shamrock Practice Facility on the east side of the stadium, all the parking lots have been recently paved, including the former grass Lot 9. Fans assigned reserved parking in lots E1, E2 and E3 will enter and exit off Kimball. Those assigned in E4 will enter off Kimball but exit onto Denison Avenue. Fans with VIP parking will enter and exit off Denison.
In the west parking lot, Gate 1 off College Avenue is closed for the 2022 season as arena construction continues in the former Cat Town area on the south end of the lot. Fans may only enter and/or exit the parking lot through Gate 3 off College Ave., or Gate 5 off Kimball Ave.
For exiting traffic, those parking north of the Gate 3 drive lane are highly encouraged to exit through Gate 5 onto Kimball Avenue westbound. With the closure of Gate 1, an additional lane of egress will be available through Gate 3 with three lanes exiting onto College Avenue southbound to Claflin Avenue. Those parking on the south end of the West lot may experience a longer exiting time due to the closure of Gate 1.
All parking lots around Bill Snyder Family Stadium open at 1 p.m., Saturday, five hours prior to kickoff. Parking is $20. K-State Athletics officials are encouraging fans to be patient during the first few games as they become acquainted with the new entry and exit points of the east and west parking lots. As always, fans are encouraged to arrive early as pregame traffic could become congested.
A free shuttle sponsored by the K-State Union, Housing and Dining Services and K-State Campus Store is available to fans with free parking in the K-State Parking Garage. The shuttle begins two hours prior to kickoff from the south circle on M.L.K. Jr. Drive, between the K-State Parking Garage and the Union. Passengers will be dropped off near the Jardine Plaza Neighborhood. Return trips resume with five minutes remaining in the third quarter, and rides will continue until approximately one hour after the end of the game.
