Shuttle buses to help with Septemberfest parking

With the 2007 Septemberfest festival only a week away, regular attendees should be aware that construction at Conant and Schaumburg high schools has limited the usual amount of parking there.

Fair-goers can catch a shuttle to the fair in the lots.

Septemberfest, held in Schaumburg since 1970, is one of two major Labor Day Weekend festivals in the Northwest suburbs -- Buffalo Grove Days is the other.

Septemberfest runs Sept. 1, 2 and 3 on the grounds of the village municipal center, Schaumburg Road at Summit Drive. Hours are 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Sept. 1; 9 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday (fireworks at 10 p.m.); and 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday, with the annual Septemberfest parade at 10 a.m.

The parking situation is more significant at Schaumburg High School, where between a quarter and a third of the usual amount of parking is being lost this year.

Parking at Schaumburg High School still will be available on the west side of the building, but in only the southernmost row of parking stalls along Schaumburg Road in front of the building.

Richard Bascomb, Schaumburg's senior transportation planner, suggests riders consider some of the neighborhood oriented shuttle routes.

Route 1 runs from Knollwood/Bode, route 2 from Weathersfield Way, route 3 from Wise Road, route 4 from Thacker Street and route 6 from east of the Meacham-Schaumburg Road neighborhoods.

Routes 1 and 3 will have an additional bus on each route this year, while routes 2 and 4 will have up to three buses running so that faster service can be expected than in years past.

Route 5 from the Schaumburg High School parking lot normally contributes about half the 44,000 rides the shuttles receive each year, so the village hopes many who normally use this route will try a different one this year.

For more information on the festival and to see the daily schedule of events, visit www.septemberfest.org.