Parking lot construction drives students to edge

Kristy Mangos Arizona Daily Wildcat While improvements are made to the Zone 1 parking lot near the intersection of East Sixth Street and North Euclid Avenue, permit holders will have to find parking spaces elsewhere.

Marlis Davis said the improvements to Lot 5070, which began last July and are scheduled to be finished before May 17, will replace the asphalt, install screen walls between the lot and an adjacent residence, add new curbs, and realign an alley on the nort h side of the lot.

She said construction has made 135 Zone 1 parking spaces unavailable, but alternative parking has been provided in Lots 7102 and 7103 at East Seventh Street and North Fremont Avenue and Lot 8109 at East Sixth Street and North Cherry Avenue.

"There is plenty of parking in these lots," Davis said. "We will find parkers alternative parking if the lots are filled."

She said someone is at the closed lot at 7:30 a.m. every day to direct traffic to the alternate lots.

"There is more than enough space," Davis said.

Students and faculty, however, do not share her opinion.

"It took me 15 minutes this morning to find a spot," said Viswanathan Raghuram, a molecular and cellular biology research associate. "It never takes me nearly as long."

Raghuram said he tried the Fremont Avenue lot, which was full, and finally found parking at Cherry Avenue lot.

"It would take a good 20 to 30 minutes total if you don't know where you want to park," he said. "It's been a major inconvenience to me."

Raghuram said that when he looks for a parking space in the morning, he notices the same cars going from lot to lot.

"About five or six would follow in a caravan," he said.

Photography freshman Amy Dearbaugh, who was looking for a parking spot behind Coronado Residence Hall yesterday afternoon, said it took her an extra 10 minutes to park her car.

"I live here, and if I take my car out and go to class, I can't find a spot," she said.

Diane Wilcox, management information systems junior, said she is upset because she paid for a $160 Zone 1 permit but now has to walk five blocks to campus.

"We pay enough to go to school here, and it is even more ridiculous to pay for a permit and still have to walk extra blocks to campus," she said. "People are driving back and forth - you know they have to be frustrated.

"Why can't they do this later in the semester?" Wilcox asked. "Or, maybe do it in the summer when there are not as many people needing to park?"

Davis said the construction was expected to be completed a few months ago but was held up because of legal issues.

Those issues dealt with an alley south of Coronado that the University of Arizona acquired from the city of Tucson, said Larry Barton, associate director of Parking and Transportation Services.

Steve Brigham, director of community affairs for the UA, said the design of the lot required it to be expanded north of its current location.

He said the delay occurred when only two of the three surrounding property owners agreed to sign a "release and consent" to release the city of Tucson from any liability connected with the project.

William Kennedy, who owns the property at 835-837 E. Sixth St., did not sign the release and consent, Brigham said.

He said Kennedy's property would be most affected by the alley relocation.

"Where the other two properties do not have direct access to the alley, Kennedy uses it to access his property," Brigham said. "By moving the alley to the north, there is more distance (for him) to get to the alley."

Brigham said Mayor George Miller and the Tucson City Council gave the UA a "right of entry" that allowed the university to begin the project.

Raghuram said he hopes the parking situation will get better when the construction is completed.