Norman sits on the south side of the Oklahoma City metro, with I-35 running along its west side toward Moore and Oklahoma City to the north and Purcell to the south. US 77, Classen Boulevard, runs north and south through the city past the University of Oklahoma, and SH 9 crosses the south side, linking I-35 with Lake Thunderbird to the east. The Canadian River forms the city's western and southern edge.
Robinson Street, Main Street and Lindsey Street carry most east-west traffic, and 24th Avenue, Porter Avenue and 12th Avenue run north and south. The grid is easy to navigate, but game days at OU change everything, filling streets with traffic and closing parking lots across the campus area. A car that breaks down near the stadium on a fall Saturday is not going anywhere soon, and even I-35 slows to a crawl before and after the game.
Max Westheimer Airport on the north side serves general aviation, and most travelers use Will Rogers World Airport in Oklahoma City. EMBARK Norman buses serve the city and campus, and Amtrak's Heartland Flyer stops at the downtown depot. The National Weather Center on OU's south research campus houses the forecasters who track the region's storms. Football weekends and graduation bring visitors from across the state, so hotel and stadium lots fill and the main roads slow.
For a mobile mechanic, Norman is mostly driveways and garages. West Norman's newer subdivisions have attached garages and wide streets, while East Norman has larger lots, dirt roads and plenty of trucks, trailers and boats. The campus area takes more planning around parking rules and the football calendar. Homes near the lake often have long gravel drives and outbuildings, so a description of where the vehicle sits saves time.