BEN DAVIDOFF

Metered parking behind Park Student Union used to be a convenient parking spot for students on campus. Now, three metered handicapped parking spots are left, and the remaining 36 spots belong to service vehicles or loading zones.

Wednesday August 29, 2001 |

Students upset over loss of precious parking space

The metered parking spaces behind Park Student Union were replaced earlier this week with additional parking for service vehicles, which are used by various campus departments.

The removal of the metered spaces upset some UA students, who fear that it will exacerbate the current parking crunch.

"There is nowhere to park anymore, and there was barely enough parking to begin with," said Vanessa Sweeney, a biochemistry freshman who works at Park Place, the convenience store inside PSU.

But Joyce Childers, program coordinator for Parking and Transportation Services, said that the university was left with little choice in changing the spaces' designation.

"We needed to come up with quick, long term service (vehicle) parking," Childers said.

Service vehicles include those used for transportation for employees of residence life, facilities management, catering and the bookstore, as well as plumbers and electricians, Childers said.

Currently, the University of Arizona has 469 metered parking spaces and 280 service vehicle parking spaces.

Sweeney said the removal of the spaces causes inconvenience for her and many other students who cannot afford to buy UA parking passes.

"Park in one of the garages," Childers said.

The closest garage to PSU is Tyndall Garage.

Parking in the campus garages costs $2 for the first hour and $1 each additional hour. Parking costs $6 for an entire day in a garage. After 11 p.m., when garage staff leaves, students can drive out of the garages for free.

"Students can also purchase a meter key and park at meters in other locations," Childers said.

The metered parking spaces will move to East Second Street between Campbell Avenue and Mountain Avenue, Childers said.

Childers said that it is nearly impossible to find spaces for every person on campus to park.

"(UA) has 30,000 students and 10,000 parking spaces," Childers said. "But a new parking garage is being built in October on Sixth Street and Santa Rita."

The new parking structure will supply 500 more parking spaces than the Zone 1 in that location now allows, Childers said.

Students can also purchase a Sun Tran bus pass-which is partially subsidized by Parking and Transportation Services.

An academic Sun Tran Bus Pass costs $225. PTS pays $113 of that cost for students, Childers said.

The lot is going to be removed completely in four months to make room for construction of the new union.

"Once those spaces are removed for the construction," Childers said. "We'll have to find new spaces for the service vehicles to park."