Expect Tons Of Traffic May 19 For Rutgers Commencement

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ — Heavy traffic and delays are expected on local streets and on Rt. 18 in the vicinity of New Brunswick and Piscataway on Sunday, May 19 due to the 253rd Rutgers University commencement. (New England Patriots Super Bowl champions Jason and Devin McCourty are the commencement speakers; the twin brothers played for and graduated from Rutgers.)

The commencement is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. at HighPoint.com Stadium on the Busch Campus in Piscataway and to conclude at 11:30 a.m. It will be followed by the School of Arts and Sciences convocation, also in the football stadium, from 12:30 p.m. to approximately 2:30 p.m.

With approximately 11,500 Rutgers–New Brunswick graduates and 1,600 RBHS graduates, plus thousands of family members and friends, as many as 45,000 people may fill the stadium for the free event. The event will bring significant additional traffic to the area.

In addition to Rt. 18, local roadways including College Avenue, George Street, River Road, Hoes Lane, Metlars Lane and the John Lynch and Landing Lane bridges will all experience heavy traffic on May 19.

To help with traffic flow, visitors driving to commencement should display their hangtags for designated parking lots and obey all police and traffic safety officers. Mass transportation options and carpools are strongly encouraged.

Complimentary shuttle bus service will run frequently throughout the day beginning at 7 a.m. from the Livingston and College Avenue campuses and from New Brunswick train station to the stadium. There is no shuttle service from Busch Campus parking lots to the stadium, which is also on the Busch Campus.

Additionally, on May 20 heavy traffic is expected on George Street in New Brunswick due to the School of Environmental & Biological Sciences convocation, which will be held from 10 a.m. to noon.