University plans to construct
parking facility to
meet demand
By Ian Clift
Summer reporter
A planned 500 space parking facility on the southwest
side of campus, on Arnold Street, will contain A, B and C permit space
to replace those removed from other areas of campus.
Mike Jasper, parking facility manager, said they
are shooting for a fall completion on the facility.
He said, "There are a number of C spaces that are
being displaced by construction and redistribution. C spaces closer
to campus will become A and B."
Citybus is expected to service the lot similar
to service provided for commuters from the north stadium lot.
John Metzinger, manger of development at Citybus,
said "What were going to do is put an extension on our Gold Loop route."
Metzinger said, "The Gold Loop currently follows
Halsey Drive to Nimitz. We're proposing to take the bus onto Arnold
Drive to pick up commuters who use the new parking lot."
Citybus representatives will be meeting with University
officials today, to determine the specifics of the contract.
The additional parking lot will allow 96 C spaces
displaced in the construction of the Visual Performing Arts Center,
slated to begin this week, as well as 97 C, 29 B and nine A spaces from
the corner of Marsteller and Wood street, to be relocated.
Jasper said, "Buildings have priority over parking
spaces. When buildings go up we have to replace those spaces and in
the future they will be further from campus."
He said that parking facilities are built to accommodate
future building plans as well as adhere to a 20-year plan to make the
University a walking campus.
Other parking concerns this summer include garage
closures around campus this month for cleaning and maintenance. Both
the Wood Street garage and the Marsteller Street Garage were cleaned
in the month of May.
This month the Grant Street Garage, will be cleaned
in sections, will be closed from June 4th to the 15th. "Most of the
work will be done at night for the Northwestern Garage," Jasper said.
It will be closed June 18-29.
The University Street Garage will be closed the
weekend of the 21st, but the south section of the garage will be closed
the entire summer for major repair.
Garages will be flooded with water to remove the
accumulation of salt and grit, said Jasper.
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