Campus Life

U.S. senator, presidential candidate Bernie Sanders to visit Penn State Tuesday

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – U.S. Senator and Democratic Party presidential candidate Bernie Sanders will visit Penn State’s University Park campus on Tuesday, April 19. Sanders will speak at Rec Hall on campus. Admittance is free, but a ticket is required.

Doors at Rec Hall will open at 4 p.m., and pre-program is scheduled to begin at 6:30. To get tickets, visit https://go.berniesanders.com/page/event/detail/rally/44ptj. Possession of a ticket does not guarantee admission to the event. Seating is general admission and is first come, first served.

Campus roadways near Rec Hall will experience a significant influx of additional traffic beginning in the early afternoon and continuing into the evening. Faculty, staff and students who normally travel this area of campus are encouraged to seek alternate routes, if possible, and allow extra time to reach their destinations. Employees with the ability to adjust their work schedules to leave campus before or after the peak traffic hours also are encouraged to do so.

What to expect:

Expect long lines. Doors open at 4 p.m. and pre-program will not begin until 6:30 p.m.

Bring comfortable shoes. Parking close to the venue is extremely limited and taking public transportation is advisable.

Expect tight security. University Police will be on hand. Metal detectors will screen attendees at the doors. Do not bring bags and limit what you bring to small, personal items like keys and cell phones.

Bags, backpacks, weapons, sharp objects, chairs, water bottles, strollers, umbrellas, and signs or banners will not be allowed through security. There will be no secure place to store items outside the building, so leave items at home or in cars. Water will be provided inside.

This is a ticketed event. To get free tickets, visit https://go.berniesanders.com/page/event/detail/rally/44ptj. Possession of a ticket does not guarantee admission to the event. Seating is general admission and is first come, first served.

How to get there:

Walking, biking and mass transit use encouraged

To reduce vehicle traffic near Rec Hall, those attending the event are encouraged to use alternative modes of transportation, such as walking, biking and mass transit. The Centre Area Transportation Authority (CATA) serves stops near Rec Hall via a number of different community service routes. Visit the CATA website for fare details and a complete schedule of CATA’s community transit service.

Parking available at commuter lots at noon Tuesday with ‘no-fare’ transit to Rec Hall

Attendees traveling by vehicle are encouraged to carpool and to park in one of the University’s commuter parking areas, Lot 44 (located east of the Bryce Jordan Center) or Stadium West (located west of Beaver Stadium), beginning at noon Tuesday. From there, visitors can use one of the no-fare CATA Loop or Link transit services to travel to and from Rec Hall.

Visit the CATA Campus Service page to view schedules and maps for each of the Loop and Link services.

ADA parking and limited general parking at Red A and Nittany Deck

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) parking and a limited amount of general visitor parking for the event will be available beginning at 3 p.m. Tuesday at the following locations:

  • Lot Red A – located west of Atherton Street and Rec Hall near the IST Building, and accessible only via White Course Drive;
  • Nittany Parking Deck – located on Fischer Road, just north of Rec Hall.

Limited ADA parking will be available at Lot Red A, while each level of the Nittany Deck has ADA parking and elevator access at the northwest and southeast corners of the facility. A valid state-issued ADA placard or license plate is required to park in designated ADA parking spaces.

With these locations serving as major parking areas for Penn State faculty and staff, general visitor parking in these areas will be extremely limited, and those without ADA parking needs are strongly encouraged to park in one of the commuter parking areas and use the available no-fare transit service to and from Rec Hall.

To ensure that parking is available throughout the day for faculty and staff permit holders, all sections of Lot Red A will be reserved from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday for Red A permit holders and other permits valid for Red A access. As a result, use of the Red A multi-space pay stations will be not be available on Tuesday.

Contact Information

Click on the Bernie Sanders Parking Google Map to view a map of the host venue and event parking locations.

If there are any questions related to parking and transportation, please contact the University Parking Office by phone at 814-865-1436 or by email at parking@psu.edu.

Last Updated April 26, 2016