City police and traffic engineers urge fans to be patient and allow plenty of driving time to commute safely to and from the campus area on UT football game days, and also to consider riding KAT shuttles to and from the home games. 

Vol fans who haven’t been in the UT or Fort Sanders areas since last football season will encounter a number of lane closures, due to the City’s $17 million reconstruction of Cumberland Avenue and several large-scale private redevelopment projects that are underway.

Motorists are encouraged to pre-plan their trip, study their parking options and follow recommended traffic routes (listed below and on www.CumberlandConnect.com). 

KAT Shuttles

Why not avoid the navigation and parking hassles and ride a KAT football shuttle?

For $6 round trip (plus a parking fee at most garages), a Vol fan can pick up a KAT shuttle downtown at the Civic Coliseum, in the Old City or near Market Square and get off the shuttle near Phillip Fulmer Way and the Walters Life Sciences Building, two blocks from Neyland Stadium. 

For $16 round trip (free parking), a fan can pick up a KAT shuttle at Farragut High School and get off the shuttle at Peyton Manning Pass and Circle Park, just a block from the stadium.


Recommended Driving Routes

Be aware of new driving conditions, especially on Cumberland Avenue, which has one lane open in each direction on its western end, near Neyland Drive.

There is now two-way traffic on four side streets that previously had been one-directional – 18th Street, 19th Street south of Cumberland, Mountcastle and 21st Street – between Lake and White avenues. (There always had been two-way traffic on 20th Street and on 19th Street north of Cumberland.) These permanent changes in traffic flow will give more options to motorists and enable them to more quickly reach their destinations.

However, there will be no left turns allowed off Cumberland Avenue. Motorists are encouraged to study a map and plan their commutes before heading to the area on game days.

Fans without parking passes should refrain from driving into the congested campus area and instead should park in peripheral areas, such as at downtown garages or in private lots.

City officials recommend these routes on game days, either for fans with designated parking in the UT or Fort Sanders areas, or those wishing to access downtown parking:

• Coming from the west: One option is to take Interstate 40/75 to southbound Alcoa Highway, then exit onto Neyland Drive. DO NOT TURN ONTO THE SINGLE EASTBOUND LANE OF CUMBERLAND AVENUE. Once on Neyland Drive, motorists can access campus via Joe Johnson Drive, or they can continue on to parking garages downtown.

A second option is to take eastbound Kingston Pike, but turn right onto Neyland Drive. DO NOT CONTINUE ONTO THE SINGLE EASTBOUND LANE OF CUMBERLAND AVENUE.

• Coming from the south: Take Chapman Highway and cross the Tennessee River into downtown using either the Henley Bridge or the Gay Street Bridge. 

Or, drive northbound Alcoa Highway to Neyland Drive, and either access campus via Joe Johnson Drive or access City parking garages by continuing on Neyland into downtown.

• Coming from north of Cumberland Avenue: Take southbound Broadway until it turns into Henley Street downtown; then turn right onto Western Avenue (to 11th Street) or onto Clinch Avenue to access Fort Sanders, or turn left onto Summit Hill Drive or Church Street to access the downtown garages.

Or, if driving from I-40: Take southbound 17th Street to access side streets into Fort Sanders.

• Coming from the east: Get off I-40 at James White Parkway to access downtown and parking.

When leaving Neyland Stadium after the game, fans should follow the same route that they took when arriving to the game.

Parking Options

UT and City officials have some simple advice for fans wishing to drive and park:

• If you don’t have a UT parking pass, don’t drive onto campus. Virtually all parking on campus is already assigned and fans without a pass won’t find any available spaces. You’d be better off parking in peripheral areas, such as at the City garages or private lots downtown.

• Pick your parking destination before hitting the road. Have a plan for where you’ll be parking. Here are a few resources for planning your trip: www.CumberlandConnect.com, www.KnoxParking.com and www.ParkDowntownKnoxville.com.

• Plus you can check our Game Day Traffic Page for traffic info, links to traffic cams, parking prices, UT Sports info and more!