Campus Officials Remind Commuters to Drive With Caution

With the start of the spring semester, UC Merced officials are reminding the campus community to be mindful of traffic delays.

In a message to faculty, staff and students, Vice Chancellor for Business and Administrative Services Michael Reese wrote that administrators are acutely aware of traffic on and around campus, which has resulted in long delays along Lake and Bellevue roads.

“When traveling to campus, I strongly encourage you to give yourself extra time to arrive,” Reese said. “We also are reviewing conditions at the intersections of Bellevue and Lake roads, and Lake and Ranchers roads to look for opportunities to improve safety. We are moving this process along as quickly as possible with our Merced 2020 Project and county partners, and we will keep the campus community informed.” 

The Merced 2020 Project will ultimately address these traffic issues. As this process takes place, people who commute to campus are urged to be alert and mindful of vehicles sharing the roads around our campus. Remember to:

• use turn signals at intersections;
• watch for cross traffic when turning or entering intersections;
• drive defensively and follow all the rules of the road; and
• avoid activities and distractions — using cell phones, adjusting the radio — that divert attention from driving.

In addition, during the first week of instruction, student transportation ambassadors will be stationed throughout the commuter parking lots during peak hours to help direct drivers to available parking spaces.