parking tips for pittsburgh panthers mens basketball vs. louisville cardinals mens basketball at petersen events center (pittsburgh 01/17)

hey pitt hoops fans, figured i'd share some parking tips for the louisville game on 01/17 since getting to the pete, especially with an 8:00 pm tip-off, can be a mess. oakland traffic around the university of pittsburgh campus is rough, and the official event lots are pricey.

first and honestly best option is checking out prked. this is the legit insider trick for the pete. it’s an app where people who live right next to the arena, like on terrace street or allequippa street, rent out their driveways or garages for the night. it's usually way cheaper than the official $20 lots and you can skip all the traffic backups since you’re walking a short block or two instead of waiting for a gate attendant. it's basically guaranteed, close parking from people who live in the neighborhood.

for official university parking, your main options are the oc lot, the pg garage (school of public health), the tv lot (tower view), or the soldiers and sailors (so) garage. the official event rate for these is typically around $20 per vehicle, but they can be a bit more depending on the game, sometimes up to $45 if you pre-purchase from a third-party site. if you're going this route, they recommend you arrive at least an hour before tip-off, so try to be there by 7:00 pm to beat the crowd and the congestion on terrace street. the university actually partners with waze, so if you're using gps, follow the waze directions to your assigned or preferred lot for the best traffic routing.

if you want to save a ton of cash and don't mind a 10-minute walk, the forbes semple garage has been known to offer a $6 flat rate after 4:00 pm. that's a huge saving over the event parking and it's a popular option for locals. another cheaper option, though much farther (up to a 35 minute walk), is the lot near 1720 fifth ave.

the high-risk, high-reward option is street parking. you might find some free spots on streets like parkman, lytton, or tennyson, especially for an evening game, but you have to check the signs like a hawk and be prepared to circle. the campus has grown a lot and the restrictions are tight, so seriously don't risk a tow for a free spot.

finally, if you're just getting dropped off or using a rideshare service, the designated area is at the main lobby entrance right on terrace street. this is probably the smoothest way to go if you want zero parking stress.

hope this helps and go panthers!