The city and university police will close a portion of TillotsonAvenue for Ball State's football games this season, officialssaid.
Tillotson Avenue will close between Bethel Avenue and McGalliardRoad three hours before the kickoff time, and the section willremain closed until traffic slows around the stadium, Ball StatePolice Chief Gene Burton said.
"Students will see a more relaxed atmosphere while crossingTillotson," he said. "We feel this will be an aid to pedestriansafety."
Burton said the only parking lot affected by the closing is thestadium's north gravel lot. Instead of using the Tillotson Avenueentrance, Muncie police officers, and signs, will direct traffic tothe lot's McGalliard entrance.
While the university police will patrol inside the stadium andthe tailgating areas, the Muncie police, both on foot andhorseback, will handle the traffic issues, Muncie Police Chief JoeWinkle said.
For Ball State's first football game on Sept. 2, students willneed to move their cars from the stadium parking lots to thecommuter lots by 9 p.m. Wednesday. On game day, students whonormally park in commuter lots are allowed to park on the top floorof the garage next to Emens Auditorium. Burton said commuters havepermission to park on the lots of the First Presbyterian Church,St. Francis of Assisi and Hazelwood Christian Church.
The university police will use flyers, posters, radio andtelevision commercials and e-mail to commuter students to remindthem of the changes, Burton said.
Although the university has changed its traffic situation, ithas not changed its tailgating policies, Vice President for StudentAffairs and Enrollment Management Doug McConkey said.
"In the past, the police have cited people for underage drinkingand drinking too much," McConkey said. "What we want is people tocome to the game and to have a good time going to the game."
Tailgating coincides with Tillotson Avenue's closing. However,Burton said tailgating ends when the game begins.
"Tailgating isn't the activity," Burton said. "It's aprivilege."
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