Street Closures and Parking Information for Today’s CSU Homecoming Parade

The CSU Homecoming parade is today in Fort Collins. The 90-minute parade will begin at 4:30 p.m. at the intersection of Howes and Oak streets in downtown Fort Collins. The parade will travel south on Howes, around the CSU Oval, across Lory Student Center plaza and conclude on campus at Meridian and University avenues, at the West Lawn of the Lory Student Center.

Several roads will be temporarily closed in Fort Collins during the Colorado State University Homecoming and Family Weekend parade today (Friday, October 16). Alternative modes of transportation, such as riding the Transfort or MAX bus systems and bicycling, are recommended throughout the day.

Staging Area Street Closures

Beginning at 10 a.m. today streets in the staging area will be closed. The parade route will close at 3:30 p.m. Cars parked in the staging area will be towed beginning at 10 a.m. Individuals are asked to observe “No Parking” signs posted in the area. Streets impacted by the parade staging area include:

•  Howes Street - Mountain Avenue to Oak Street
• Oak Street - between Howes and Sherwood streets
• Sherwood Street - Mountain Avenue to Oak Street, including the Oak Street intersection
• The intersections of Oak and Meldrum streets, Oak and Howes streets, and Oak and Sherwood streets
• On campus, west-bound Old Main Drive from Rembrandt to the Oval also will be closed.

 Staging Area Detours

To avoid the staging area, drivers are encouraged to use Mountain or Laporte avenues for east-west routes and Mason or Loomis streets for north-south routes. Oak Street will remain open east of Howes Street for Larimer County Courthouse traffic. Streets in the staging area will open as the area clears, starting at 5:30 p.m. However, no access to Howes south of Mountain Avenue will be allowed until the parade ends.

Parade Route Closures

Beginning at 10:00 a.m. today, streets along and intersecting with the parade route will be closed. Parking along the parade route is prohibited from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and towing will begin at 10 a.m. Friday. “No Parking” signs will be posted Wednesday along the route. The parade route includes:

• Howes Street, south of Oak Street through Laurel Street, to the CSU Oval
• Oval Drive
• Amy Van Dyken Way (formerly West Drive)
• University Avenue, west of, and including, Amy Van Dyken Way to Meridian

East-west streets along the parade route also will close starting at 3:30 p.m. on parade day. Traffic will be diverted from access to and across Howes. These streets include:

•  W. Olive Street
• W. Magnolia Street
• W. Mulberry Street
• W. Myrtle Street
• W. Laurel Street
• Meridian Avenue will be closed south of Plum Street and north of Lake Street for the duration of the parade, and only emergency access to Meridian Avenue from South Drive and Pitkin Street will be granted.

All streets will open once the parade ends at 6 p.m. Friday.

How to Avoid the Parade

To avoid the parade route, east-west traffic is encouraged to use Prospect Road or Mountain Avenue. North-south traffic may use College Avenue or Shields Street. The parade starting location allows for three additional east-west traffic corridors - Maple Street, Laporte Avenue and Mountain Avenue - to ease traffic congestion during the parade.

If You Are Towed

Anyone whose vehicle is towed from the parade route or staging area should contact Fort Collins Parking Services at (970) 221-6617 to reclaim their vehicle.

Bus Service Affected by Parade

The City of Fort Collins bus services, Transfort and the Horn campus shuttle route, also will detour from several standard stops during the parade and parade staging. Detours will begin when barricades go up around 1 p.m.; regular routes will resume as soon as barricades are cleared at around 6 p.m. Routes impacted by the parade:

•  Route 2
• Route 6
• Route 7
• Route 10
• Route 19
• Route 32
• HORN

After the Parade

The end of the parade also serves as the beginning of the community-wide Homecoming pep rally starting at about 6 p.m. on the west side of the Lory Student Center.

In addition to the parade, Homecoming and Family Weekend highlights include the Homecoming 5K Race beginning on the Oval at 8 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 17, and the Homecoming football game vs. Air Force at Hughes Stadium at 1:30 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 17.