WILMINGTON—Thousands will graduate from the University of North Carolina Wilmington this weekend, bringing thousands more to help them celebrate. Unfortunately, that means a lot of traffic.
UNCW will hold graduation events throughout the day on Saturday, May 5. The main graduation event, for sciences and humanities students, is at noon, but according to the UNCW Police Department, traffic is expected to be consistently heavy.
There are no planned road closures on or around campus, but the UNCW Police Department will be on site to help direct traffic on campus and at entrances to the university. The department is suggesting that residents find alternative routes to avoid the campus area.
“On and around campus, traffic will be slow all day,” UNCW Captain Todd Curry said. “It’s definitely avoid if you can.”
Traffic is expected to be heaviest on College Road, from Wrightsville Avenue headed north toward UNCW, and from Market Street south towards UNCW. However, other roads around the university are also expected to be affected.
“If possible you should avoid College (Road), Wrightsville Avenue, Randall Parkway–any of the connecting arteries. There aren’t going to be any closures, but traffic will be very heavy on those roads, all day,” Curry said.
The last graduation ceremony of the day is at 4 p.m. but traffic may last into the early evening, UNCW Police said.
