Parking Forums - What’s your take?
I’ve updated the weekly events post below to reflect the parking forums that will take place this week on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.
The Governor’s capital budget for FY2011 has been announced, and includes $37.4 million for the construction of the new Performing Arts and Humanities Facility, covering a broad range of subjects like Dance, Music, and Theatre. With this funding secured and plans to break ground this summer, the school is hosting student forums on parking (an issue we’ve covered before) to hear from the student body.
What experiences have people had in the last semester that might give fresh perspective on this issue? Personally, I’ve heard a few murmurs about the overflow lot filling up recently. What are your thoughts? Join the discussion and get yourself ready to ask these questions in a true forum this week. Be heard, UU!
UMBC, does not have over flow parking anymore. The increase in student numbers and increase in commuters should give them the understanding that parking is just not available anymore and with a new building new parking structure should be considered. Considering the only real way UMBC will be able to grow is up and the bureaucratic system of the md edu sys, this needs to happen much sooner then later.
I believe another garage located at the top of Hilltop maybe the lot on near ITE/ENG/FA including the second gated lot of faculty and that student parking lot a better option. With two entrances one from the circle and one from hilltop, similar to the one of the Towson Student Center parking garage, would provide more parking also create the availability to have reserved space on floor of the garage for events/meetings for professionals in the the upper buildings.
I was shocked yesterday, the Hilltop lot was completely full, so I went and parked by parking services. When I went back to my car a little after 1, that lot was full too! Was there some kind of special event on campus yesterday?
I think Kyle has a great proposal for the location of a new parking garage. The lot he is referring to is used heavily by commuters, and have a garage like the Union Garage @ TU in this location would be extremely helpful in creating additional parking. Garages obviously create much more capacity than lots, so I definitely support this idea.
What is the reason that the Walker Avenue garage is only two levels? Someone screwed the pooch on that one to begin with, but I understand if the situation can not be rectified anymore.
I was just thinking about the Walker Garage as well. Really its only 1 level for students plus the top and basement levels that are gated or metered and constantly empty. That whole garage should be student parking, considering how little parking there is in that area of campus. It would seriously alleviate the parking situation for commuter students. Additionally, a third garage would be ideal, exact same concept as the commons garage, but taller and wider so it has a greater capacity, maybe like the garage at montgomery college in takoma park? That garage has a great layout and is big enough for just about every student on the campus at the time, since they are on an island in the middle of silver spring for the most part.
I attended the parking forum today, and they aren’t even considering building another lot or parking structure. Apparently the government is not allowed to fund these things, and the money comes directly from the students, faculty and staff. The university didn’t want to increase fees, and supposedly “the existing parking spaces/lots are under-utilized, so there’s no need to increase parking.” Also, not only will the entire lot in back of the ENG, ITE and FA buildings be gone, the lot next to it where the police station is will be completely designated to faculty and staff, as well as 48 visitor spaces, so students will no longer have a reason to even turn down that road by the light. I’m seriously concerned about parking on campus next year, but I felt even though I voiced my opinion and fears, nothing will be changed. The plans are set to construct the new building and the lot that is always full will be history.
Unfortunately, I dont see us getting any new parking facilities anytime soon. they’d much rather fill up every other lot, including the far one at walker, than make any more parking available close in for people…guess I’ll just have to get here earlier and earlier
The claim that the function of Lot 9 can be taken on by other, currently underutilized lots is dubious. I usually find a good number of spaces available in the back half Lot 22, but at least once every couple weeks, Lot 22 is near capacity even early in the morning. Lot 17 is often cited as a counterpoint to parking concerns, but that lot doesn’t have anywhere near enough spaces to offset the spots that will be lost due to the PAHF’s construction, and space there also seems to be regularly taken up by UMBC Transit vehicles. Lot 20, identified as one of the “underutilized” lots, is good for residential parking, but is too far from the academic corridor to be of practical use to commuters.
On a more positive note, the university has identified the Walker garage as underutilized, which may mean the impracticality of reserving the entire top deck for visitors has finally been noticed. The plans to improve parking access include some potentially promising proposals such as zip cars, at least according to the Retriever Weekly. I don’t see something along those lines being likely due to cost, but if they’re mentioning things like that, maybe they’re willing to think outside the box. Maybe. I’m looking forward to seeing what kind of plans surface to make better use of existing parking spaces, but I’m skeptical of the claims that the capacity of Lots 9 and 16 can be completely taken on by existing parking. We’ll see.
On a side note, I’m also curious as to why UMBC is spending $400 million on a new building in a time when complaints about lack of funding are coming from all over the place and employees are being furloughed left and right.
UMBC isn’t spending the money, its a capital budget item that is separate from the actual operating budget of the university