Parking Services makes change
Posted on August 27, 2007
The brand new Warsaw Avenue Parking Deck stands out amidst the medley of bright orange cones and construction on Main Street.
The five-level, 784-space Warsaw Avenue Parking Deck is now open to faculty, staff, and commuters.
Junior Stephanie Warner is excited about the deck opening, as she hopes it will leave more spaces open in the parking garage for her 8 a.m. classes in Showker.
“I know so many kids will park at the deck by the Quad,” she said. “Hopefully it will spread it out.”
The parking deck will have an electronic vehicle counting system that will display the number of spaces available, and it is expected to by operational by approximately Oct. 1.
There have been other parking renovations as well. The gravel parking lot on Grace Street (formerly a commuter lot, C-1) has been re-designated as a resident parking lot and renamed R-11.
Sophomore Erika Gramstad, who lives in Logan Hall, is glad to have a resident lot so close to the quad.
“After taking one trip from the baseball lot to Logan I found that that lot was way too far,” she said. “The Grace St. lot is extremely convenient.”
Other students are less pleased with the change. First year graduate student Katy Schroer said she lives close to campus, but leaves 30 to 40 minutes early to find a parking space and wishes the lot was still open for commuters.
“I think commuters need as much parking as they can get,” she said. “It’s just such a nightmare trying to get to class on time.”
Parking violation fines have changed as well. Effective Aug. 18, all $20 fines increased to $25. The fine for parking in a fire lane also increased from $50 to $75.
“Fine amounts are based on the dollar amount believed necessary for the parking citation to act as a deterrent,” director of Parking Services Tara Armentrout said.
Money collected from parking fines is used to support maintenance of existing parking facilities, construction of new facilities, salaries of parking service personnel, debt service on existing parking decks, snow removal in parking lots and more, according to Armentrout.
“Parking Services is an auxillary enterprise,” she said. “And as such, is entirely supported by the revenue it generates.”
Sophomore Shanti Chang said she hopes that even though fines have increased, the lot changes will help drivers avoid tickets.
“Maybe now there will be less [ticketing] because there are more spots,” she said.