<p>Prepare for altered traffic patterns and tie-ups in Oakland this week as a result of students' return to the University of Pittsburgh.</p>
<p>Forbes and Fifth avenues are expected to experience heavy traffic Tuesday through Friday. The university's parking and transportation department is alerting drivers that:</p>
<p> The Schenley Quadrangle will remain closed to vehicular traffic through Aug. 29.</p>
<p> Bigelow Boulevard will be closed between Forbes and Fifth avenues from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday, and from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday. Port Authority Bus Route 54C will not service the Carnegie Museum/Forbes Avenue stop during those times.</p>
<p> Lothrop Street will be closed between Fifth Avenue and Victoria Way from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday.</p>
<p> University Place will be closed between Fifth Avenue and O'Hara Street from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday and from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday through Friday. Vehicles using the University Place exit from the Soldiers & Sailors parking garage will be required to turn right onto University Place toward O'Hara Street.</p>
<p> University Drive B will be closed between Aliquippa Street and University Drive A from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Friday.</p>
<p> Parking meters on Ruskin Avenue will be restricted to individuals moving into Ruskin Hall.</p>
<p>Moving child into Forbes tomorrow. How bad was the traffic today? Lessons learned or tips for parents/movers? Better to arrive very early or very late (or it doesn’t matter)?</p>
<p>Last year we moved our daughter into Tower B. We arrived very early and that worked out well. We are planning to to the same thing on Thursday for our move into PA Hall.</p>
<p>For next year’s move-in, I suggest (if you child is willing or able) volunteering for Arrival Survival. You get to move-in early (a couple of days before the freshman depending upon your job) and there is no traffic to deal with plus I think you get a $50 stipend. The difference between freshman and sophomore move-in was like night and day. Hope everything went well for everybody :)</p>
<p>My SIL works at UPMC Presby (on the Pitt campus) and texted my wife today at 3:00 PM saying traffic was completely gridlocked on Fifth Ave. We’re moving our daughter into Lothrop tomorrow morning and were told by her RA that early is better than later. Good luck tomorrow.</p>
<p>My daughter got to go early this year for some type of training to welcome international students. She was the only one moving into Forbes-Craig yesterday. That was easy. I parked the car, carried in ONE load, and she unloaded the rest. I got home last night about 7.</p>
<p>Thank you all! My husband insisted that we arrive in Oakland at 7:00 am. I convinced him that the traffic won’t be terrible if we arrive at 7:45. That 45 minutes of extra sleep means a lot to me.</p>
<p>Earlier is definitely better than later. That said, we were in front of Forbes at 7:00 and they didn’t start the process until shortly before 8:00, at which time there were only three or four families in line. So if you get here at 7:45, you should be OK. Just don’t wait until later in the day when not only are the streets gridlocked, but there are long lines for the elevators.</p>
<p>Thank you all!! We arrived at 7:30 and were able to start moving in then. We were completely unloaded, unpacked and room set up within 2 hours. We didn’t hit any traffic in or out of Oakland. Early is the way to go.</p>
<p>We always arrived late (like after 6 p.m.) and found move-in very easy at that hour too. Just bring your own dolly or hand cart in case the Pitt laundry carts are not available. But we never had a problem getting one.</p>
<p>Part of the problem for move-in on Tuesday was a broken elevator in Tower B. There are only three, so losing one cut the capacity by a third. Supposedly we were only allowed one hour of parking in the Towers garage, but we waited in line for the elevator for just under two hours. So we (and everyone else in line for the elevator) couldn’t move our vehicle, so there was no room for arriving students to park, so they were waiting in line in their vehicles on the street. It was a mess.</p>
<p>Most families were patient, and the Arrival Survival volunteers were doing all they could to help. One wonderful guy made two trips up the stairs from our van to D2’s room on the ninth floor (D2, D1, and DH were carrying the lighter stuff up the stairs while I waited with the cart in the elevator line). </p>
<p>D2 says that all of the elevators are working today, so move-in should be smoother.</p>