Know before you go: USGA announces traffic, spectator plans

Greetings friends and neighbors! There are just over 40 days until the eyes of the world fall on University Place and Chambers Bay Golf Course. It's such an exciting time to be a resident of the 4th Council District!

Recently, the United States Golf Association (USGA, the folks in charge of putting on the U.S. Open) announced it's plans to help manage traffic and spectators during the weeklong event from June 15-21. The 115th U.S. Open Championship will welcome an anticipated 250,000 weekly spectators.

Included in the 2015 Spectator Guide, found at usopen.com/knowbeforeyougo, is a detailed transportation plan prepared in conjunction with the lead law enforcement agency, the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department, and other local and state agencies. More than 21,000 satellite parking spaces have been secured in the local area, providing you with free parking and complimentary shuttle service directly to the championship grounds.

Click here for more information on where to go and what to do (and what NOT to do) during the event! You can also watch a PC News clip highlighting that info below:

UP hosts community meeting May 19

Want to know more about how the host city is preparing for the throngs of spectators, media and players who will descend on University Place in June? Mark your calendars for May 19th, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., at the Curtis High School Cafeteria.

There will be a planning meeting for the open house later this week, and details of the May 19th open house will be announced shortly thereafter. University Place residents are welcome to come and ask questions about the planning efforts and impacts to the community as a result of the Championship, such as:

Transportation issues
Potentially congested areas
Vehicle regulations

Keep an eye on your inbox...I'll be sending you another e-newsletter once those details are made available! In the meantime, check out UP's website for the latest information.

As "temporary city" goes up, Chambers Creek Park areas close off

The U.S. Open is the largest sporting event ever to be held in the Pacific Northwest. Over the past several weeks, crews have been setting up tents, building platforms, and constructing camera towers in preparation for the championship.

To accommodate the expanding "temporary city," Pierce County and the USGA are implementing a phased-in approach to preserve public access to the park as long as possible. Portions of the park have already seen a great deal of growth, and on May 26, the following closures will begin:

Grandview Trail
Chambers Bay Golf Course
Playground by the Sound

You can watch this historic event coming together in real-time by visiting the live Chambers Bay webcam at http://www.chambersbaygolf.com/Web-Cam/. As always, you can find the latest information on the U.S. Open-related closures at Chambers Bay by visiting Pierce County's website.