With extra security and extra traffic, Sunday could be a long day for those attending Rutgers University's commencement ceremonies at High Point Solutions Stadium, Busch Campus in Piscataway, New Jersey.

And it could be a long morning and afternoon for others driving in and around the school's New Brunswick and Piscataway Campuses. The university expects 40,000 to appear at a ceremony at the school's High Point Solutions Stadium in Piscataway for ceremonies that begin at 12:30 p.m. and features President Barack Obama as commencement speaker.


Join New Jersey 101.5's Bill Spadea and Mike Symons of New: Jersey Decoded for a live chat as New Jersey 101.5 streams live video of President Obama at the Rutgers Commencement Sunday. The ceremony begins at 12:30 p.m.


The New Jersey Department of Transportation said Exit 9 for River Road off Route 287 will be closed from 6 a.m. until 2 p.m. Exit 8 for Centennial Avenue is the suggested alternative route.

Extra volume is expected on Routes 1, 18 and 27 as well as Route 78 and even the Garden State Parkway.

"Expect the unexpected including sudden road closures," New Jersey Fast Traffic's Bob Williams, who suggested that drivers familiarize themselves ahead of time with the university, said. "Spend some time with a map and now where you're going ahead of time. And have a backup just in case. You don't want to be driving around and around fighting with your passengers over where to go and wind up being late.

"Arrive extra early. The early bird gets the parking space," Williams said.

All graduating students and their guests must have barcoded tickets to get into the stadium, parking hangtags in order to park on campus. Shuttle buses begin running from the university's lots to the stadium at 7 a.m.

The gates of High Point Solutions Stadium in Piscataway open at 8 a.m. on Sunday morning, and once your're inside you won't be able to leave until the ceremony is over.

Rutgers said parking will be "challenging" and that the hangtag does not guarantee access.

A guideline for Rutgers Commencement
A guideline for Rutgers Commencement (Rutgers)
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