U's first day poses extra problems

The first day of classes at the University of Minnesota is rarely pretty. It is, even in the best of years, a day filled with headaches.

It's simply the reality when more than 50,000 students and better than 16,000 employees descend on an urban campus.

But throw in the collapse of the Interstate 35W bridge, and today has the potential to be really ugly. What to do? Call this a quick guide to minimize U of M stress.

Getting an early start

The message from the school is simple: If you can bus, bike or walk, do it. If you can't, leave yourself plenty of extra time. After all, it's better to have some spare time to grab a cup of coffee than to be sitting in gridlock when that 8 a.m. class starts.

U students can get an all-you-can-ride transit pass for $64 for the semester. The cost of monthly transit passes has been reduced for university employees.

This morning, Metro Transit will open a new park-and-ride lot just west of Hwy. 280 at 29th and Como Avenues SE.

If you drive

Expect to see more police officers. University police will direct traffic at several intersections that have seen backups in the month since the bridge collapsed. Expect to see them on University Avenue, on East River Road and other spots around campus.

Another thing: Be patient. It's going to be slow, and road rage isn't going to help.

If one day of driving turns out to be enough, a transportation fair about alternative forms of transit will be held today from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the front plaza of Coffman Memorial Union.

Where to park

Remember how much of a hassle it was to park on the East Bank campus before? Well now there are about 1,100 FEWER parking spots, in large part because of construction of the new football stadium.

Some spots have been created to the north and east of the stadium site. But the walk to academic buildings is going to take longer.

If you want to make sure you have a place to park, the fairgrounds might be an option worth considering. About 2,200 parking spots have been added there, and the transitway between the two campuses provides a traffic-free experience for buses.

"While the roads are completed in the Stadium/East Gateway District, parking has relocated -- it isn't where it was before July 1 -- and people need to go online and really understand where the parking lots are," said Kathleen O'Brien, vice president for university services.

What about this strike?

There won't be a strike on the first day of class, but about 3,500 clerical, technical and health-care workers represented by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees are set to go on strike Wednesday. The biggest issue in the debate is wages.

The university has said that its business will continue even if there is a strike. But more workers are involved in the labor dispute this time than when the clerical workers struck nearly four years ago. During that strike, some professors moved classes off campus out of respect for the striking workers. That could happen again.

Phyllis Walker, president of the local representing the clerical workers, said on Monday night that no further negotiations had been scheduled. The state mediator, however, could call both sides back to the bargaining table.

Free food for the newbies

A freshman convocation is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. today at Northrop Auditorium. Afterward, freshmen will march down the mall to Coffman and will receive a free meal (always a hit with college kids).

Faculty and staff members also will wear "Ask me" stickers during the first week of class.

"This simple act will identify to students as someone they can approach with questions," provost Tom Sullivan said.

Jeff Shelman • 612-673-7478

Jeff Shelman • jshelman@startribune.com