WSU is asking students, faculty and staff to plan ahead and park off campus after 1 p.m. Nov. 19 because of the Friday night football home game. 

WSU will offer free park-and-rides for people who park on campus, said Phil Weiler, WSU vice president of marketing and communications.

The two park-and-ride lots are near the Valley Road Playfields and along Terre View Drive, said Chris Boyan, WSU interim director of Transportation Services.

Pullman Transit will provide regular transportation between the park-and-ride lots and campus using its bus system, Boyan said.

The express route between the park-and-ride lots and campus will run every five minutes and more frequently during the 8:30-9:30 a.m. peak. The express will drop people off at Beasley Coliseum. Pullman Transit’s regular campus loop will be active for further transportation, according to WSU Insider.

Students who live on campus are subject to different parking rules on Nov. 19, Boyan said.

“If a student lives in a residence hall, they do not need to move out of their residence hall parking for the football game because they live on campus,” Boyan said.

WSU considered a variety of options when deciding how to deal with the challenges of a weeknight football game, Weiler said.

“The last time we had a weeknight football game, not during a holiday, was back in 2017,” Weiler said.

University administrators used their plan and strategy from 2017 as a model for how to handle a similar situation this year.

“We ultimately came to a decision that we did not want to change normal operations on campus. The only difference is if people drive their vehicles they’re going to need to move their vehicles by 1 p.m. on Friday,” Weiler said. “We don’t want to disrupt the student experience.”

Human Resource Services developed guidance for supervisors and employees, which includes procedures for requesting to work from home or otherwise modify one’s work schedule, according to WSU’s website.

Weiler said a key difference between the 2017 Friday game — which was in September — and this year’s Friday game is the timing in the academic calendar.

“This is the Friday before the week-long Thanksgiving break,” Weiler said. “Chances are [people] are going to take off a little bit early and head home.”

WSU will continue to communicate updates and reminders about parking on Nov. 19 using email, social media and the university’s website, Weiler said.

“We created a website specifically for that Nov. 19 game where all the latest information will be posted,” Weiler said.

The Cougars will host the Arizona Wildcats on Nov. 19 in what will be the Cougars’ final home football game of the season.