MSU Parking and Transit Services is excited about the upcoming academic year and would like to welcome everyone back to campus. A few parking and transit changes have occurred over the summer.

Creelman St. and President Circle access

In an effort to increase pedestrian safety and in accordance with the Mississippi State University Master Plan, on Monday [Aug. 17], Creelman St. and President Circle will be closed to through traffic between 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

The McCarthy Gym and Allen East gated lots will be open for access for those with privileges to those parking lots. For those with McCarthy or Allen gated permits, parking gates are currently being installed on Creelman St. just east of Tracy Dr. and on President Circle north of Bully Blvd. The old parking gates at the entrances to the McCarthy and Allen West lots will be removed.

Between 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., access into the Lloyd Ricks and Bell Island parking areas will only be from west Creelman Street via Stone Blvd.

Starkville-MSU Area Rapid Transit expands service area

In July, Starkville-MSU Area Rapid Transit (SMART) carried its one millionth passenger. During the same time, the system expanded in an effort to increase efficiency and enlarge the service area.

Routes not only connect campus to downtown Starkville and the Sportsplex, but there is now a Highway 12 route with direct access to The Mill at MSU terminating at Wal-Mart with stops at many of the retail areas along Highway 12.

The trolleys on the Old Main Express now also service the Historic Greensboro District and Patriots Park along the Avenue of Patriots. Many more exciting changes have occurred and for more information and live tracking of the buses, please visit www.smart.msstate.edu.

Parking and Transit Services is here to serve you. If you are ever in need of parking or event assistance, please call Parking Services at 325-3526 or visit www.parkingservices.msstate.edu.

For help or for information about transit services or SMART, please call 662-325-5204 or visit www.smart.msstate.edu.