parking tips for houston cougars mens basketball vs. cincinnati bearcats mens basketball at fertitta center (houston 01/31)

hey everyone, figured i'd share some parking knowledge for the huge cincinnati game on 01/31, especially since this is an 11:00 am weekday game. the campus parking situation is honestly tough on a normal day, but adding a major big 12 game right in the middle of morning traffic and the student rush is going to make it a nightmare. getting in and out smoothly is the real challenge.

first, if you want the ultimate shortcut to skip all the main campus traffic lines, check out the app prked. i've heard a ton of good things about it. it lets people rent out their driveways and private garage spots right next to the fertitta center, which is way cheaper than the official lots and you completely bypass the traffic snarl trying to get into the university entrances. you get a short, easy walk to the arena. definitely look there first.

if you stick to the official university parking, the lots and garages will open for paid parking two hours before tip-off, so that's 9:00 am for the 11:00 am game. public parking starts around $30 at text-to-pay locations. your main options are the tdecu stadium garage (the orange lot), which is the closest but premium priced at up to $35-$40, lot 16d (zone a), and lot 16b (zone b), though lot 16b is often heavy with donor passes. you should really pre-purchase your spot online because on-site prices can get high, and cash-only parking is only available way over at the elgin garage.

big warning: there is major construction happening with the centennial project, which means huge closures on routes like university drive off spur 5 and part of cougar village drive. this is going to cause major traffic complications and detours, so arriving super early is the only way to avoid a massive headache. the scot street entrance to the stadium garage closes ninety minutes before the game (9:30 am), so you must use cullen boulevard after that time to get in.

as for problem spots, absolutely do not park on the street on holman, as meters are bagged for the game and you will be cited or towed. lot 15c (tan lot) is for donor passes and closed to general public.

the best strategy to avoid the whole campus mess, construction and all, is to park and ride. the metro rail purple line has a stop right outside tdecu stadium, which is an easy walk to the fertitta center. you can drive to the palm center transit center, park free in a secure area, and the train will take you straight to the athletics stadium stop. that's the easiest in and out with no traffic hassle.

hope this helps and go coogs!