Where the heck do I park for a Husker football game?
Let me give you some background on this situation. I've had season tickets since 1992, and haven't missed a game since that 1998 Eddie Robinson Classic against Louisiana Tech. (Thanks to a friend of my wife's who scheduled her wedding for the last Saturday in August, only to have Nebraska surprise everyone by adding a game the same day once it was too late to change the date.) I've had parking lined up for most of the last 20 years.
For most of that time, I was parking in lot 19 behind right field at Haymarket Park. But three years ago, I found myself bumped out of lot 19 over to lot 20 in front of the baseball stadium. I didn't think it would be a big deal until the first game. First, it took forever to find a spot, thanks to tailgate parties using two spaces even though they only paid for one spot. Then afterwards, it was nearly impossible to get out after the game because everybody tries to exit out onto Sun Valley Boulevard even though it's much faster to head east to 10th Street.
So a couple of years ago, I took the recommendation to rent a spot at a hall on 10th Street, which worked OK that first year. It was about the same price as Haymarket, but it was much easier to exit after the game, so I thought it was a big win. Then last year, I got a renewal notice with a 40% price increase. $200 for seven games, payable in the spring.
I looked around at the time, but didn't find anything. So I grudgingly paid the fee and renewed. Each week, the new management of the hall tried to hassle us by requiring wristbands to use the bathroom, then locking the restrooms after night games. And each week as we treked south across the North Bottoms to the stadium, we'd pass signs for people selling parking for about half the price we paid.
Well, enough of that. We didn't renew this year, figuring we could find parking for less cost and less hassle. Now game week is approaching, and we're just wondering where we should start looking on game day? We sit in the North Stadium, and for morning and afternoon kickoffs, take the kids to the Junior Blackshirts program at the Campus Rec Center on 14th Street. Needless to say, that means we're not really looking towards downtown for parking; north and east of the stadium would be preferable.
I know there's plenty of options for parking out there, but after being in reserved lots for most of the last 15-20 years, I'm not sure what else we might find, especially east of the stadium. Anybody have any suggestions?
3 comments:
Having parked there for years, you know all about the folks selling their driveways & yards before the games, but those sell out irregularly from week to week and nothing is guaranteed. I've had good success parking super early on the North Bottoms streets at 6am, leaving my car there all day, then driving home after the game.
However, the 10th Street bridge over Salt Creek is currently under construction, and won't be done this season, so parking in the North Bottoms is going to be a hassle. Your only exit will be to 14th street, or south toward downtown on 10th, or west on Charleston to the Haymarket Park mess.
Here's the detour route:
http://i.imgur.com/wmUKepF.jpg
I found out about the 10th Street construction after I declined my old parking spot... Which made me feel better about my choice because it really will be a mess this fall. That's part of the reason why I'm hoping to find something to the east.
Just east of 17th on Y on the cement plant grounds. As long as you aren't late to the game they will have open spots.
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