DRIVERS have been cautioned about 4-day closures and possible delays due to a much-anticipated weekend event.
Thousands are expected to arrive, causing drivers to think twice about their travel plans.
Drivers were warned about possible delays and closures ahead of a gold tournament[/caption]
Over 200,000 attendees are expected to arrive in Oakmont for the event[/caption]
Event coordinators directed drivers to specific parking lots depending on their travel route[/caption]
Over 200,000 people are expected to attend The U.S. Open, which will be played at Oakmont Country Club in Oakmont, Pennsylvania, from June 12-15, 2025.
This is the 10th time the club will host the event, and it will be the 125th edition of the tournament.
The 72-hole play tournament is known for its challenging course, including sloping greens and distinctive bunkers.
With hundreds of thousands of guests expected to attend, Pennsylvania drivers are already prepping for a chaotic parking and traffic situation.
Danny Sink, Senior Director of U.S. Open Championships for the United States Golf Association, noted that although the tournament officially begins on Thursday, a lot of prep work happens days before.
In fact, the USGA anticipates 18,000 to 20,000 people to attend the first practice round day, as per CBS News.
That number will continue to amp up as the week goes on — capping the number of attendees at 40,000 on Friday and Saturday.
“We like to stress that it is a seven day event even though we don’t start keeping score until Thursday,” Sink told CBS News.
He urged drivers to exercise patience during the action-packed sports weekend.
“If you have an alternate route to not use Hulton Road or use the corridor going through Plum, Oakmont, Allegheny River Boulevard, or Allegheny Avenue, we’re not telling people those roads are closed by any stretch because they’re not,” Sink said.
“We’re just suggesting if there is an alternate route for you and you’re not coming to the championship, it might be better for you during the week of the Open.”
For those heading to the event, there won’t be parking spaces within Oakmont or Plum.
Instead, they will be directed to the RED lot at Hartwood Acres (around 10 miles northwest of the club) or the BLUE lot at Monroeville Mall (around 10 miles south of the club).
Those driving from the more western and northern parts of the area were prompted to use the RED lot, while the BLUE lot is recommended for drivers coming from the eastern and southern parts of the area.
The U.S. Open Golf Championship
- The U.S. Open golf tournament is scheduled for June 12-15, 2025
- The event will take place at the Oakmont Country Club in Oakmont, Pennsylvania
- Parking and shuttle transportation will be provided to and from Oakmont Country Club at two large fan parking lots, the RED Lot and the BLUE Lot
- There will be no Championship parking for fans within Oakmont or Plum Borough
- Residents living near Oakmont Country Club will be issued resident hangtags for their vehicles
- Access to local neighborhoods from Hulton Road will be closed to residential only traffic in several locations
Source: United States Golf Association
Sink emphasized that the most effective way to enter the golf tournament will be to use the satellite parking lots.
“You get parked, we load you on a bus immediately, get you on the Turnpike and get you to the championship as quickly as possible, avoiding traffic delays in Harmar, Verona, Blawnox, Penn Hills, and all the surrounding communities,” he said.
Roughly 130 buses will be shuttling attendees from 5:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., which will take 25 minutes to drop fans off at Gate 1, the main entrance to the tournament.
“It starts from when you park your car in our general fan parking lots to the time you leave at the end of the day, we try to make sure your experience is top notch from beginning to end,” Sink said.
The USGA website also warned drivers that any vehicle parked illegally on residential streets in Oakmont or Plum Borough will be subject to ticketing, fines, and towing.
“There is NO overnight parking in any USGA parking lots,” the website reads. “Vehicles left overnight will be subject to towing at the owner’s expense.”
There are also specific rules for those using a ride-share option like Lyft or Uber.
“We certainly won’t allow any drop offs on Hulton Road or Coxcomb Hill Road or any of the surrounding areas,” Sink noted.
Instead, those passengers should use the Tenth Street Elementary School located on Pennsylvania Avenue in Oakmont Borough as a drop-off and pick-up location when requesting ride-shares.
