Traffic signals at La Rue Road and Hutchison Drive have been set temporarily to flashing red for road construction, prompting campus officials to advise of possible delays getting through this major intersection at UC Davis’ west entry for the next couple of weeks.

When the lights are flashing red, motorists — and bicyclists, too, if they are riding in the road — must treat the intersection as a four-way stop. Everybody gets a turn.

The traffic advisory comes just before a busy weekend in the west part of campus and a big week ahead for all of campus: Students are moving into the residence halls Saturday and Sunday (Sept. 22-23), there’s a football game Saturday afternoon, and the fall quarter starts Monday.

Unitrans is warning of possible delays going to and from the Silo Terminal on Hutchison Drive; the bus delays could be especially problematic starting Wednesday, the first day of classes. Unitrans recommends taking an earlier bus during peak commute times, or, if possible, ride an alternative line that goes to the Memorial Union Terminal. See all Unitrans routes.

Officials said the construction company will have flaggers in the La Rue-Hutchison intersection starting Saturday morning and continuing through the first week of school, and possibly longer, to assist with traffic control. Police will take over traffic control duties for the football game this Saturday. In addition, campus officials are double-checking detours for bicyclists and pedestrians to ensure they have safe access to and from Aggie Stadium.

The flashing-red lights are connected to the reconstruction of the southbound lanes of La Rue Road between Hutchison and Garrod drives; southbound traffic is being diverted to the northbound lanes — which has been converted to two-way traffic. A map of the lane closures is available on the Design and Construction Management website.

Move-in workarounds

Motorists face an additional traffic issue Saturday when officials close La Rue completely between Hutchison and Garrod starting at 1 p.m. to facilitate pedestrian access to the stadium (the football game starts at 4). Football traffic may be used to this, but perhaps not move-in traffic. Drivers heading to the football game can find a parking map on the UC Davis Athletics website.

Under regular circumstances, Student Housing recommends Hutchison Drive-to-La Rue Road as the main route to all of the residence halls in the Tercero Residence Area and to Bixby and Gilmore halls in the Segundo Residence Area.

Here are alternatives:

Tercero Residence Area — Motorists can avoid the Hutchison-La Rue intersection and the La Rue Road closure by entering the campus from Interstate 80. Take the UC Davis / Old Davis Road exit and continue north onto Old Davis Road, turn left onto La Rue Road at the traffic circle, then follow La Rue to the Tercero area. Note: If you enter campus via Hutchison during the time La Rue Road is closed, you can take a detour by continuing east through the Hutchison-La Rue intersection and turning right on Dairy Road.

Motorists can avoid the Hutchison-La Rue intersection and the La Rue Road closure by entering the campus from Interstate 80. Take the UC Davis / Old Davis Road exit and continue north onto Old Davis Road, turn left onto La Rue Road at the traffic circle, then follow La Rue to the Tercero area. Note: If you enter campus via Hutchison during the time La Rue Road is closed, you can take a detour by continuing east through the Hutchison-La Rue intersection and turning right on Dairy Road. Bixby and Gilmore halls — Take Russell Boulevard off Highway 113.

Turn right at La Rue, then turn left to access the Bixby-Gilmore unloading zone in Parking Lot 25 at the Activities and Recreation Center.

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