Parking garage development pushes students, faculty to violate
File photo, parking services vehicle
Allison Scott said she doesn’t care about getting a parking ticket on campus.
Scott, a senior, has been parking in the 30-minute temporary parking lane between Elliott and Ahlberg halls every afternoon since the spring semester started.
“It’s worth [parking here] because a [parking ticket] is only $25,” Scott said.
Scott has continued to risk getting a parking ticket during her afternoon classes on campus because she can never find a spot in the parking spot in the lots on either side of Ahlberg Hall.
“I used to get a parking spot there every day,” Scott said.
Since the beginning of the construction on the parking lot south of the Rhatigan Student Center in December, Scott said the Ahlberg Hall parking lots have changed because of increased traffic from faculty and staff who use the RSC lot.
Scott said when she arrives on campus the lot is full every time.
University police Capt. Corey Herl, who oversees the parking patrol on campus, said many people still respect the 30-minute space.
“We have noticed an increase (of violators), especially since the last couple of weeks,” Herl said. “What we’ve seen has not been alarming, but there’s been a slight trend upwards.”
Thirteen tickets were handed out last week to students parked in the 30-minute parking lane, Herl said. Despite the rise in tickets and traffic in the 30-minute area, it’s possible some drivers aren’t getting ticketed.
Within three hours on Tuesday afternoon, two cars remained in the 30-minute lane without receiving a parking ticket — one in the guest section and one in the temporary section.
Herl said the UPD officers who scan license plates to check for parking permits have not changed their routes to compensate for the increased activity near Ahlberg.
The UPD drivers maintain a consistent route around campus.
“When the officers drive by a car, it sets a timer,” Herl said.
When the officers drive by the same car in a temporary lane the timer checks how long it has been since the officer’s vehicle first passed the car.
As of Wednesday, 544 parking citations have been issued in January.
Carina • Jan 27, 2017 at 7:20 am
Not only is parking an issue on campus, but so is getting to and through campus. With the construction going on all around and through campus, traffic makes getting to the parking lots impossible. By the time you reach the parking lot, it is full. During this time of construction (especially while an important parking lot is being redone – during the time classes are in session) there should be an alternative or even an acception to parking and parking “violations.” It is not fair to the students who pay $150 a year for parking to have most of their parking unavailable, especially during game days. I understand that road construction is mandatory and through the city and that there is a plan for a parking garage, but there may be a ways to help students during this time. Such as temporarily allowing other parking colors to park in lots that they usually aren’t allowed. Definitely now while the lot is being redone and during game days.
Kayla Carrington • Jan 26, 2017 at 4:02 pm
In my opinion, parking on campus has been atrocious ever since they built shocker hall! It sits on what was the best lot on campus.
Ever since I started going here, one of the parking lots in front Duersken Fine Arts was a yellow/green lot. I parked there everyday, it was convenient and close since I’m a music major. At the beginning of this semester, that lot changed from green/yellow to yellow only. Not everyone got an email saying these things were changing, including myself. So I was shocked to see a parking advisory flyer on my truck. I pay $150 a year for a parking permit and half the time, I still end up parking way out in the boondocks or can’t find a spot anywhere!! It’s frustrating and irritating. And if you have class on game days, you can forget about getting a spot anywhere on campus, especially now that the RSC lot is closed. I’m in shocker sound, the university Pep band, and on Tuesday, I had to risk parking in that yellow only lot just so I didn’t have to walk all the way to Eck Stadium after dark. And there were many students that had class and had to park off campus and walk across campus. If they were going to go ahead with this parking garage, they should’ve done it maybe during the summer when there aren’t nearly as many people on campus.