Plan in Advance

Commencement parking is on a first-come, first-served basis. Please note that parking close to the Kohl Center where the commencement ceremonies are held is in short supply. As you make your commencement plans, please allow ample time to locate parking for your vehicle and get to the Kohl Center.

Avoid Congestion Near Kohl Center

In the spring semester, dormitory move-out will be occurring simultaneously with commencement, which will result in significant traffic congestion on West Dayton Street. Therefore, we encourage participants and guests to look for parking in the university lots listed below. Note that you are welcome to park in any university parking lot while attending commencement, except lot 91, which is reserved and requires a permit for entry. Paid parking is also available in city and private parking facilities.

Complimentary Bus Shuttle Service

In order to reduce traffic congestion in the vicinity of the Kohl Center, a complimentary shuttle bus service will be available to transport participants and their guests who choose to park in the vicinity of the engineering campus and Camp Randall Stadium (near to which there is ample university parking; see list of parking lots below) to and from the Kohl Center. The shuttle will provide service every 10 to 15 minutes on Friday, May 18 from 3:30 to 8:30 p.m., and on Saturday, May 19, and Sunday, May 20 from 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The shuttle will pick up/drop off at the Madison Metro bus stop located on North Randall Avenue near Engineering Drive, proceed on West Dayton Street to the Kohl Center, and return to North Randall Avenue. Shuttle stops will be designated by signs.

Disabled Parking and Access

The drop-off location for elderly and disabled guests is on West Dayton Street in front of the Kohl Center, and is approximately 250 to 300 feet from the Kohl Center. Open-air electric vehicles will be available, unless severe weather precludes their use, to transport those individuals for whom walking that distance would be difficult.

Accessible parking is limited, and permits are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Please note that disabled plates and cards are NOT valid to secure parking in lots reserved for Special Events Parking. To reserve a parking permit, email or call (608) 262-8683. No permit reservations will be taken after May 11. Permits are limited to one per guest. Permits must be picked up between Monday, May 7 and Thursday, May 17 at the drive-through located at 21 North Park Street. Drive-through hours of operation are 7:15 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Guests who have reserved permits must provide their names to the customer service staff when they pick up the permits.

Suggested University Parking Lots
(see interactive campus map for lot locations)

• Lot 6 - Parking ramp, 600 N. Park Street (beneath Helen C. White Hall)
  → Directions to Kohl Center: 3 blocks east, 5 blocks south

• Lot 7 - Parking ramp, 975 University Avenue (beneath Grainger Hall; enter from Brooks Street between University Avenue and West Johnson Street)
  → Directions to Kohl Center: 3 blocks east, 2 blocks south

• Lot 17 - Parking ramp, 1525 Engineering Drive (north of Camp Randall Stadium)
  → Directions to Kohl Center: 1 block east, 1 block south, 8 blocks east (alternative: board shuttle bus on North Randall Avenue)

• Lot 20 - Parking ramp, 1390 University Avenue (adjacent to McArdle Laboratory and Medical Sciences Center)
  → Directions to Kohl Center: 7 blocks east, 3 blocks south (alternative: board shuttle bus on North Randall Avenue)

• Lot 29 - Parking ramp, 21 N. Park Street
  → Directions to Kohl Center: Follow East Campus Mall north (underneath bridge), then 1 block east

• Lot 36 - Parking ramp, 1645 Observatory Drive
  → Directions to Kohl Center: Follow Observatory Drive east to N. Park Street, then 4 blocks south, 3 blocks east (alternative: board shuttle bus on North Randall Avenue)

• Lot 39 - Surface lot, 1811 Linden Drive
  → Directions to Kohl Center: Use pedestrian bridge to cross Campus Drive, then 12 blocks east, 3 blocks south (alternative: board shuttle bus on North Randall Avenue)

• Lot 40 - Surface lot, 1655 Linden Drive
  → Directions to Kohl Center: 10 blocks east, 4 blocks south (alternative: board shuttle bus on North Randall Avenue)

• Lot 41 - Surface lot, 1820 University Avenue (behind Enzyme Institute)
  → Directions to Kohl Center: 12 blocks east, 3 blocks south (alternative: board shuttle bus on North Randall Avenue)

• Lot 44 - Surface lot, 965 W. Dayton Street (behind Merit House)
  → Directions to Kohl Center: 3 blocks east

• Lot 46 - Parking ramp, 301 N. Lake Street (along the 600 block of West Johnson Street between Lake Street and Frances Street; enter from Lake or Frances)
  → Directions to Kohl Center: 2 blocks south

• Lot 54 - Surface lot, 112 N. Charter Street (adjacent to Weeks Hall)
  → Directions to Kohl Center: 6 blocks east

• Lot 83 - Parking ramp, 601 University Avenue (beneath Fluno Center; enter from Frances Street between University Avenue and West Johnson Street)
  → Directions to Kohl Center: 2 blocks south

• Lot 92 - Surface lot, 1015 Clymer Place (across from Educational Sciences Building; enter from Brooks Street between West Johnson Street and West Dayton Street)
  → Directions to Kohl Center: 4 blocks east, 1 block south