UA students scramble for parking spaces on campus

Wildcat File Photo Arizona Summer Wildcat Jeff Popp/Arizona Daily Wildcat Business freshman Ari Farah feeds quarters into a parking meter on North Tyndall Avenue yesterday. Farah missed his first class of the semester after spending extra time finding a parking spot and change for the meter.

University of Arizona parking attendants turned away a handful of Second Street Garage permit holders yesterday morning and told them the garage was already full. The garage reached capacity when attendants allowed too many visitors enter, said Marlis Davis, director of Parking and Transportation Services.

A permit for the Second Street garage sells for $390 per year.

"This has never happened before, and it won't happen again," Davis said. "All the people who have permits for this garage will always have a spot."

That is not the case, however, for students who hold $160-a-year Zone 1 permits.

For every two Zone 1 parking spaces on campus, three permits are sold, Davis said.

But at 9 a.m. yesterday, about 100 Zone 1 parking spots remained open in a lot east of the Student Recreation Center, she said.

"There are spots available," Davis said. "They just might not be where you want to park."

UA permits for any lot or garage on or off campus have been sold out for months, Davis said. Those on a waiting list for a Zone 1 permit will not get one until next semester, she said.

Parking officials, who plan to re-evaluate each lot and garage in a couple weeks, will issue permits if additional spots are available, Davis said.

Although students may scramble for parking spaces during the next few weeks, Davis said the situation will settle down soon and everyone who purchased a permit should be able to find a spot.

But that didn't pacify students who searched for up to an hour yesterday to find a place to park.

"I was late to every class today because I couldn't find any Zone 1 parking and kept having to run back to my car to put more money in my meter," said Kelly Rasmussen, an undeclared sophomore.

"I am so mad I spent so much money on a permit and it still took me an hour to find a spot," said Samara Swern, a psychology junior.

Davis suggested carpooling or taking the bus.

"They (students) can't expect to come to campus two minutes before class and expect to find a spot. It's just not going to happen," she said.

Student bus passes from Sun Tran, which are subsidized by the UA, are $70 for a full academic year or $45 for the fall semester.

Davis also said parking officials are serious about ticketing cars that are parked in spaces with expired meters.