Parking crunch to lessen after first weeks, campus police say
Juan Villa / The Collegian
Waiting for his next class, entrepreneurship major Scott Peters said the only
parking space he could find was by the Save Mart Center. Peters arrived on campus at 11 a.m. |
By Crystal Russ
The Collegian
The start of the semester brings with it the usual stress: finalizing class schedules, rushing to class, paying tuition and buying textbooks. Yet for many students, the search for those elusive prime parking spots is chief among their complaints.
In the first two weeks of the semester, the daily search for a decent spot can be frustrating.
“I’m usually late for my 8 a.m. class because I have to park really far,” said Amy Yang, a senior accounting major. “Almost every lot is full. There’s never enough time because there are other students trying to find parking, too.”
Students arriving for 8 or 9 a.m. classes often are caught in the peak time of the parking rush, according to Amy Armstrong, public information officer for the campus police department.
“The first couple of weeks, students should arrive between 15 and 20 minutes early,” Armstrong said.
“There are always a lot more people at campus in the beginning of the semester since students are still trying to add classes.” Armstrong’s advice is to allow the extra time until students know how early they need to arrive.
The police department has people directing traffic on Barstow Avenue every morning. Their goal is to assist pedestrians in crossing the street onto campus from parking lot Q, so that students can cross safely and do not cause traffic jams for the oncoming vehicles.
Still, parking often seems scarce — particularly parking that is close to campus. With 5,700 student parking stalls available on a campus with more than 20,000 students, many must park on the outskirts of campus.
Some, like sophomore biology major Kong Vang, have given up on the idea of parking on campus altogether. “I stopped parking on campus after my first year,” Vang said. He now parks across the street from campus, after noticing that the 15 minutes he has to walk is easier than driving around the parking lots looking for a space.
Kong’s cousin, Dang Vang, agreed. “When I’ve had morning classes, I’ve had problems getting a space,” Vang, a liberal studies senior, said. “It depends on where you park. If you want a long walk, then it’s not too bad to find a spot. It’s hard to find close parking because everyone wants it.”
Armstrong also stressed that point. “Everyone’s goal is to find the closest parking stall,” Armstrong said. “Don’t worry about parking the closest.”
Parking lot E offers an alternative for students on the hunt for parking. Half of the stalls are designated for students who carpool between the peak hours of 6:30 and 10:30 a.m. After 10:30, all students are able to park there. Armstrong said students who are interested in the rideshare program should visit the alternative transportation department in the University Student Union to sign up for its parking pass.
The parking crunch usually lightens up after the first two weeks of classes, Armstrong said. Also, students arriving later in the day have an easier time locating parking. “Parking depends on when you come,” Dang Vang said, “I get here at 12:30 when everyone is leaving and I can get a spot. It’s about coming at the right time.”
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