Fans line up outside Colonial Life Arena
March Madness arrives in earnest today in Columbia as the The No. 1 seeded USC women’s basketball takes on Savannah State in the first round of the NCAA playoff. Tip-off is 5 p.m. at Colonial Life Arena and The State is keeping an eye on fans and traffic in the hours leading to the game.
Here’s the latest:5:00 p.m. It's game time.
4:20 p.m.
Traffic is increasing in the immediate areas around the arena but moving steadily into the parking garages. Meanwhile, several street side ticket vendors are trying to cash in on last-minute sales.
3:55 p.m. The fans are ready and waiting outside Colonial Life Arena. The arena doors are not set to open for another five minutes but a long has already started to form outside the door.
3:45 p.m. Just a few blocks away from the arena, folks are getting happy in Columbia's Vista. Many are signing a wall with personal pledges to provide acts of happiness. It's all part of the #HappyActs Challenge, a global movement to make the world a happier place. The United Nations sponsored outreach is being promoted locally by Live Happy magazine.
3:30 p.m. The rush has started and fans begin to pile into the parking lots close to the arena.
2:50 p.m. Basketball fans without reserve seats to tonight's game are not taking any chances. While the doors to the arena won't open until 4 p.m., many guests had already started gathering in line two hours early.
2:20 p.m. Some fans are opting to beat the last-minute rush and went to the arena early to purchase their tickets for Friday night’s game.
2 p.m.There remains a smattering of open parking spaces along the streets in the immediate blocks around Colonial Life Arena. But it won't be long before these become high value real estate.
If You’re Going
There are plenty of parking and shuttle options for basketball fans and those attending one of several other events planned in the downtown area today. Here are some suggestions for navigating – or avoiding – Friday’s traffic.
Look for the signs: There will be electric signs in various downtown locations directing spectators to available public parking, and Columbia police will direct traffic around the arena area.
Free parking shuttles: Buses will begin free transportation for fans from satellite parking areas to the Colonial Life Arena and back, starting two hours prior to game time. The shuttles will run until one hour after the second NCAA playoff game that night. The satellite parking areas are at the old Capital City stadium, 301 Assembly St., and USC’s Pendleton Street and Senate Street garages (access both in the 1000 block of Pickens Street). Parking is $5. Commuters should allow at least 20 minutes for shuttle transports to and from the arena.
Public garages: Several public parking garages are located near the Vista and Main Street districts and within walking distance of the arena. The city garage at Park and Pendleton streets and the university’s Discovery garage at Park and College streets will have limited parking for $5. The city garage at Lincoln and Washington streets will have parking available for $1 an hour.
Parking lots: There will be limited $5 parking in the Colonial Life Arena lots (A and B), where USC students also will park during Friday afternoon classes.
The roads less traveled: Those not traveling to the game or some other downtown destination Friday may want to to avoid the Assembly, Blossom, Gervais and Huger street areas altogether from late afternoon throughout the evening.
Want to avoid traffic leaving USC’s game? Stick around for the second NCAA women’s basketball match-up, starting around 7:30 p.m. between Syracuse and Nebraska.
This story was originally published March 20, 2015 at 2:00 PM.