The overcrowded lots, congested aisles and little bright green envelopes sprinkled all over campus are just a few signs of a new semester at Fresno State.
Hectic traffic the first few weeks of school, students should be prepared in order to avoid parking tickets and missing classes.
“Come early,â€Âsaid Amy Armstrong,University Police Department Public Information Officer, advised the 20,000 students attending classes.
“Give yourself time to park; give yourself time to walk to class.â€Â
Parking tickets are the most common ticket given out, Armstrong said, often resulting from students being pressed for time.
“Someone will catch you,â€Â Armstrong said.
From her experience, many students receive citations for trying to display last semester̢۪s pass in their windows, while others choose not to purchase a pass at all, she said.
For those wishing to avoid such problems, student/visitor passes can be purchased for $68 at two locations on campus: the cashier̢۪s window at Joyal Administration and the University Police Department office located at the University Student Union.
Students needing only short-term or temporary parking can purchase daily permits for $3 at various kiosks surrounding campus.
University Police staff are also around to hand out daily permits at the start of the semester in order to reduce congestion at the machines.
While parking problems are certainly not new on campus, some new additions are under way to combat them.
One possible solution to relieve parking congestion is the new “photovoltaicâ€Â solar-paneled structure being built in Lot V. This structure, in conjunction with Chevron, will help generate electricity for the campus, as well as provide additional parking.
“Nine hundred and sixty-three spaces will be added to Lot V,â€Â Armstrong explained, with a portion of them reserved for staff and faculty to purchase for 24-hour per day use.
“Even with that portion taken out, there will still be more student-parking available than before the structure was built.â€Â
Another new addition underway are the 10-hour parking meters that will be available at the north end of Lot V. While other parking meters on campus only allow a stay of two hours or less, the new meters will better accommodate those taking night classes.
While the additions to Lot V are not expected to be completed until early October, overflow parking will be available at the Save Mart Center except for when events are going on.
Until the projects are finished, following Armstrong’s tips may make your parking experience less stressful.
Jill • Oct 4, 2007 at 9:55 am
How difficult would it be to come up with a plan to renovate the existing parking lots and build them into multi-level structures? We already drive around barricades and construction projects, so what’s four more? ASB should force the CSU system to update the parking capacity before accepting any new recruits. If we really want accountability then let’s force the campus to stop selling permits when the lots have reached capacity. The Fresno State Foundation and our trustees are becoming totally Imperialistic.
Why do outside investors sway the Board of Trustees into picking a handful of civil engineers, city planners and developers to decide educational pursuits for the entire Student body? Not all students and faculty agreed to sign-on to urban sprawl, building a shopping and condo complex and attaching our university name to them. I can hear someone saying, “Hey, I’ve got a great idea how to make more money.â€Â How much more land will we use up before someone says “STOP, enough already.â€Â
The ASB has had no input into these projects as far as I have seen and read. The students need to decide on expansion. Instead we have to follow the headlines. I am left to wonder when and if I get to spend my overtaxed student budget on retail therapy, how will I travel to the complex with all the barricades, where will I park, and will I need a separate parking permit? I know the Save Mart Center (supposed school owned and operated property with student parking) and the new Campus Pointe project do not benefit me at all.
Jill • Oct 4, 2007 at 4:55 pm
How difficult would it be to come up with a plan to renovate the existing parking lots and build them into multi-level structures? We already drive around barricades and construction projects, so what’s four more? ASB should force the CSU system to update the parking capacity before accepting any new recruits. If we really want accountability then let’s force the campus to stop selling permits when the lots have reached capacity. The Fresno State Foundation and our trustees are becoming totally Imperialistic.
Why do outside investors sway the Board of Trustees into picking a handful of civil engineers, city planners and developers to decide educational pursuits for the entire Student body? Not all students and faculty agreed to sign-on to urban sprawl, building a shopping and condo complex and attaching our university name to them. I can hear someone saying, “Hey, I’ve got a great idea how to make more money.” How much more land will we use up before someone says “STOP, enough already.”
The ASB has had no input into these projects as far as I have seen and read. The students need to decide on expansion. Instead we have to follow the headlines. I am left to wonder when and if I get to spend my overtaxed student budget on retail therapy, how will I travel to the complex with all the barricades, where will I park, and will I need a separate parking permit? I know the Save Mart Center (supposed school owned and operated property with student parking) and the new Campus Pointe project do not benefit me at all.
Tessa Comer • Aug 30, 2007 at 12:38 pm
I cannot even begin to express how deeply disappointed I am with the parking issue here at Fresno State. It’s the one problem I consistently see with this school. We have awesome staff/faculty, a beautiful campus, and tons of ways to get involved. Parking is the disgrace of Fresno State.
You pay $68 per semester for a parking space that’s not guaranteed to you, only to have to park way out in the SaveMart Center, which isn’t Fresno State’s property, I don’t believe. Everyday I come to school hours early, hoping to catch a spot in Lot V. Not a chance.
Monday I found a note on my car about getting out of the SaveMart center lot before 3:30 the following day. However, the next day, they were trying to block the lot off! I pulled over to ask one of the parking cops where I should park. He shrugged and said he didn’t know! If he doesn’t know, who does?!
Tessa Comer • Aug 30, 2007 at 7:38 pm
I cannot even begin to express how deeply disappointed I am with the parking issue here at Fresno State. It’s the one problem I consistently see with this school. We have awesome staff/faculty, a beautiful campus, and tons of ways to get involved. Parking is the disgrace of Fresno State.
You pay $68 per semester for a parking space that’s not guaranteed to you, only to have to park way out in the SaveMart Center, which isn’t Fresno State’s property, I don’t believe. Everyday I come to school hours early, hoping to catch a spot in Lot V. Not a chance.
Monday I found a note on my car about getting out of the SaveMart center lot before 3:30 the following day. However, the next day, they were trying to block the lot off! I pulled over to ask one of the parking cops where I should park. He shrugged and said he didn’t know! If he doesn’t know, who does?!
Mike Greyson • Aug 30, 2007 at 11:16 am
Fresno State is masterful with the parking. Generally in a capitalist free market, buying something guarantees you some form of a service——not here though. The $68 might get you a parking spot—–might not perhaps.
Imagine walking into a Wendy’s and buying a Frostee: the cashier says, “Oh, sorry just ran out.”
“Uh, can I get my $1.05 back?”
“Sorry, NO!”
Don’t get me started on the Save Mart Center parking. What’s that all about? You can park in the lot one mile away from your classes, but by 3:30pm we’ll tow you if you don’t find a new spot.
This campus is a DEBACLE. I saw some guys hawking blackmarket Beyonce bootlegs over behind Joyal Admin. following that Tuesday night concert.
Rather than cracking down on that kind of stuff, our campus law enforcement is primarily concerned with fining those who happen to not follow the 1.2 million campus traffic and parking rule violations.
DISGRACEFUL!!!
Mike Greyson • Aug 30, 2007 at 6:16 pm
Fresno State is masterful with the parking. Generally in a capitalist free market, buying something guarantees you some form of a service——not here though. The $68 might get you a parking spot—–might not perhaps.
Imagine walking into a Wendy’s and buying a Frostee: the cashier says, “Oh, sorry just ran out.”
“Uh, can I get my $1.05 back?”
“Sorry, NO!”
Don’t get me started on the Save Mart Center parking. What’s that all about? You can park in the lot one mile away from your classes, but by 3:30pm we’ll tow you if you don’t find a new spot.
This campus is a DEBACLE. I saw some guys hawking blackmarket Beyonce bootlegs over behind Joyal Admin. following that Tuesday night concert.
Rather than cracking down on that kind of stuff, our campus law enforcement is primarily concerned with fining those who happen to not follow the 1.2 million campus traffic and parking rule violations.
DISGRACEFUL!!!