The Color Run will bring 10,000 to campus Sunday, multiple changes to travel

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The annual Penn State Homecoming 5K is expected to attract nearly 10,000 runners Sunday (Sept. 29), and the University Parking Office is advising the campus community of various changes to traffic patterns.This year’s race begins at 4 p.m. and is in conjunction with The Color Run, an organizer of 5Ks nationwide that involve runners clad in white being painted with various colors throughout a 3.1-mile course.“The Penn State Homecoming committee asks the campus community to have patience during The Color Run on Sunday,” said Sarah Kurz, public relations director. “The Color Run will be the largest 5K to ever take place at Penn State, and we are excited for this unique opportunity for campus and the community to participate.”

The Homecoming committee will be compensated by Color Run for providing volunteers, collect funds from the portion of race registrations they could sell directly and share in some of the profits from T-shirt sales, according to Kurz. 

To see a race guide, click here.Penn State Homecoming 2013 activities are scheduled for Oct. 5 to 12. The Nittany Lions will play the Michigan Wolverines in the Homecoming football game, which kicks off at 5 p.m. Oct. 12.

Several campus roadways will be closed starting at 3 p.m. Sunday, previously announced as closing at noon. Campus campus bus service also will stop at 3 p.m. until the conclusion of the race. All traffic will be prohibited from the course starting at 3:45 p.m., before the race begins.

The course will be the standard route used for campus 5Ks beginning on Porter Road south of Medlar Field, turning west on Hastings Road, crossing University Drive to Bigler Road, following Bigler Road to Pollock Road, turning west on Pollock Road to Burrowes Road, turning north on Burrowes Road to Curtin Road, then returning east on Curtin Road to Porter Road.Here are the details on the road closings impacting campus this Sunday:From 3 to 7 p.m. the following areas will be closed to make room for race route color stations:-- Porter Road from Hastings Road to Dauer Drive; access to Lot 44 will be maintained on Porter Road from Curtin Road or via Dauer Drive only-- Hastings Road in front of the MRL Building; access to Orange H, Lot 43, Lot 83 east and west will be maintained from Porter Road and University Drive until race time-- Pollock road will be closed from Fraser Road to Shortlidge. Access to Old Main will be maintained from Burrowes Road. Brown C parking lot will be maintained from Shortlidge and Bigler roads until race time; Curtin Road will be closed from Allen Road to Shortlidge Road; Burrowes Road and Curtin Road extension will remain open until race time-- Curtin Road from University Drive to Porter Road is closed-- Porter Road between the upper and lower entrance of the Bryce Jordan Center lot. No north and south travel along this portion of Porter RoadThese roads will be closed from 3 to 7 p.m. (routes will be emergency access only):-- Porter Road from College Avenue to Park Avenue; limited access to Centre Furnace Mansion parking-- Hastings Road from Porter Road to Bigler Road-- Pollock Road from Bigler Road to Burrowes Road-- Shortlidge Road from College Avenue to Pollock Road; limited access to Lot 81 at South Halls and the HUB Deck will be maintained-- Burrowes Road from College Avenue to Pollock Road; limited access to Brown A and Red K will be maintained-- Curtin Road from Burrowes to Porter Road-- Shortlidge Road from Park Avenue to Curtin Road; limited access to Lots Green D, G and J will be maintained-- Bigler Road from Park Avenue to Curtin Road; limited access to the East Deck will be maintainedFor questions, contact the University Parking Office at 814-865-1436.Transit route adjustments will also be in place. All CATA bus routes also will be detoured from 3 until 7 p.m.

Participants are reminded that passengers covered in paint will not be permitted to board CATA buses and are encouraged to bring a change of clothes to the race.

The detours are as follows:

M Route

Inbound from the Nittany Mall to Campus/Downtown: The M route will follow normal inbound routing to College Avenue where it will remain on College Avenue, servicing alternate stops at College Avenue and Heister Street and College Avenue and Allen Street. The M route will not service any stops on campus. 

Outbound from Campus/Downtown to the Nittany Mall: The M route will not service any stops on campus. The M route will depart from College Avenue and Allen Street at the time it would normally depart from Pattee Transit Center Westbound and travel College Avenue to Burrowes Road, turn left on Burrowes Road, and left on Beaver Avenue, where it will resume normal outbound routing.

N Route

Inbound from the Colonnade to Campus/Downtown: The N route will follow normal inbound routing to the intersection of North Atherton Street and Park Avenue where it will turn left on Park Avenue, right on University Drive and right on College Avenue, where it will resume normal routing to College Avenue and Allen Street. The N route will not service any stops on campus. Temporary stops will be located at Park Avenue and Allen Street, and at Park Avenue and Bigler Road for use during the detour. 

Outbound from Campus/Downtown to the Colonnade: The N route will depart from College Avenue and Allen Street at its normal departure time and follow normal routing to the Colonnade.

R Route

Inbound from Stratford/Waupelani: The R route will follow normal inbound routing to South Atherton Street and Beaver Avenue where it will turn right on Beaver Avenue, left on Pugh Street and right on College Avenue to College Avenue and Allen Street. The R route will not service any stops on campus, the bus stop at North Atherton Street at the bus terminal or the bus stop at College Avenue and Heister Street. There are no temporary stops on the R route.

Outbound from Campus/Downtown to Stratford/Waupelani: The R route will depart College Avenue and Allen Street at its normal departure time and follow normal routing to Stratford/Waupelani.    

V Route

Inbound from the Colonnade to Campus/Downtown: The V route will follow normal inbound routing to the intersection of North Atherton Street and Park Avenue where it will turn left on Park Avenue, right on University Drive and right on College Avenue, where it will resume normal routing to College Avenue and Allen Street. The V route will not service any stops on campus. Temporary stops will be located at Park Avenue and Allen Street, and at Park Avenue and Bigler Road for use during the detour.

Outbound from Campus/Downtown to the Colonnade: The V route will depart from College Avenue and Allen Street at its normal departure time and follow normal routing to the Colonnade.

Blue Loop

There will be no Blue Loop service from noon until 7 p.m. All normally scheduled Blue Loops will operate on the White Loop, following the detour below during this time. 

White Loop

The White Loop departing from Schlow Library will follow normal routing to University Drive where it will continue on University Drive to Park Avenue, turn left on Park Avenue, left on North Atherton Street, and left on Beaver Avenue, where it will resume normal routing. Temporary stops will be placed at Park Avenue and Bigler Road, and Park Avenue and Allen Road for use during the detour. 

Red Link

The Red Link West Campus to Innovation Park: The Red Link will depart West Campus and follow normal routing to North Atherton Street where it will continue on North Atherton Street to Park Avenue, turn right on Park Avenue, remaining on Park Avenue until it resumes normal routing to Innovation Park at Park Avenue and Porter Road. Temporary stops will be located at Park Avenue and Allen Street, Park Avenue and Bigler Road, and Park Avenue and Porter Road for use during the detour.

The Red Link Innovation Park to West Campus: The Red Link will depart Innovation Park and follow normal routing to Park Avenue where it will continue on Park Avenue to North Atherton Street, turning left on North Atherton Street, where it will resume normal routing to West Campus. Temporary stops will be located at Park Avenue and Porter Road, Park Avenue and Bigler Road, and Park Avenue and Allen Road for use during the detour.