All of the following items have the potential to create traffic, congestion, or parking shortages.
If you have questions about these alerts, call us at 800-789-7366 between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday to Friday, or visit this page for updates.
Medical Drive closure near Penn Presbyterian
A large proton therapy expansion project at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center is affecting traffic near the hospital. To support the project, Medical Drive will be closed until further notice. Patients and visitors should use the Filbert Street detour to access the Main Hospital entrance and Visitor Parking Garage.
During construction, SEPTA’s LUCY Gold Route and LUCY Green Route will have temporary stops at 38th and Filbert streets. Visit SEPTA’s LUCY Gold Route and LUCY Green Route pages for schedules and more information.
The multi-year proton therapy expansion project includes the demolition of the Medical Office Building, realignment of Medical Drive, and new building construction.
University of Pennsylvania events to cause road closures, traffic, delays May 12-18
Multiple University of Pennsylvania events will cause road closures, traffic, and delays in University City and West Philadelphia from May 12 to May 18, 2026. If your appointment is in the area, please plan your route and leave extra time for travel, or consider using public transportation.
Student Move Out May 12 and 13
Undergraduate students will move out of their dorms on Tuesday, May 12 and Wednesday, May 13. Between 7am and 6pm, Spruce Street will be closed between 34th and 40th streets.
The road closure is close to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Perelman Center for Advanced Medicine, The Clifton Center for Medical Breakthroughs, and Penn Presbyterian Medical Center. Heavy traffic and delays are expected in University City and West Philadelphia.
Alumni weekend May 15 to 18
Alumni weekend is planned from Friday, May 15, to Monday, May 18, and is expected to cause additional traffic and delays near the campus.
Commencement May 18
The University of Pennsylvania’s commencement ceremony is Monday, May 18, 2026, at Franklin Field. From 6 am to 3pm, 33rd Street between South and Walnut streets will be closed. 34th Street at Walnut Street will be periodically closed for the commencement procession to cross.
Perelman Center construction project
To help alleviate traffic and improve the overall patient experience, the Perelman Center for Advanced Medicine will begin construction in March 2026. The project is expected to last about one year.
The work will be done in phases to help minimize the impact to patients during the construction period.
Construction is currently being done in the Perelman Center driveway, which may affect space on sidewalks near the building. Traffic due to this phase of the project is expected to be minimal.
We will keep this page up to date with the latest information to help you prepare for your visit.