Construction to begin on North Campus
Enhancements require changes to parking
The construction of two new residence halls on north campus, which will provide much needed space to accommodate the University’s new three-year residency requirement, will contribute to an even more vibrant campus community and extend the reach of campus to the north.
The construction, scheduled to begin in late February to meet an August 2013 deadline, will result in the permanent reduction of 350 spaces primarily used by residential and commuter students, as well as faculty and staff. The construction zone includes the northern section of Lot Q and the entire Lot R-2.
To help explore creative solutions to manage the loss of these parking spaces, representatives from student, faculty and staff groups met with Jim Alty, Chief Facilities Officer, and Alex Crist, Parking and Transportation Manager, on February 17 to brainstorm short and long-term ideas. Additional meetings with campus representatives are in the works.
“We are doing our best to ensure that we face these parking challenges together,” said Jim Alty, chief facilities officer. “We are meeting with groups including the Faculty Senate, Student Government and the Staff Advisory Council to seek input, create an ongoing conversation about parking and develop creative solutions to our challenges.”
In order to ease the parking strain that construction will bring to campus for the remainder of the spring semester, WFU Parking will pay:
- $150 to each of the first 100 students who volunteer to turn in their on-campus permits and agree to park off-campus in the Polo Road lots for the remainder of this semester. Shuttle service for the Polo Road lots will be increased to handle additional demand.
- $300 to each of the first 250 students who volunteer to turn in their on-campus permits and agree to park off-campus in the University Corporate Center (UCC) lot for the remainder of this semester. The UCC lot is also used by University employees who work in the building, so it has all the standard security of on-campus parking lots. The UCC lot has or will have:
- An on site security guard from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. – the same period as gate house security on campus – seven days a week
- Shuttle service every fifteen minutes from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. Between 1 a.m. and 7 a.m., a shuttle will be stationed at the shelter to pick up any students who park in the lot to immediately deliver them to campus between 1 a.m. and 7 a.m.
- Well lit parking lot and shuttle shelter
- University Police patrols
- Blue Light Call Box directly tied to University Police response
- Modern surveillance cameras to monitor lots 24/7, directly tied to the security center
These offers are open to faculty, staff and students, both graduate and undergraduate. The offer is available on a first-come, first serve basis.
To volunteer, bring your current vehicle on-campus permit and university ID to the Parking Management Offices in the USB and fill out a refund request form, starting February 29. Students have the option of requesting their check be mailed to an address of their choice or held available for pickup at Student Finance Services office in Reynolda Hall.
Capturing ideas
“We are committed to developing creative ideas with the entire community. We are holding town hall meetings the first week in March to discuss parking and develop additional long-term solutions.”
— Alex Crist, manager of parking and transportation
These changes will be in effect only until the end of the current academic semester. No decisions have been made regarding parking for the next academic year.
As you’re thinking about parking in the future, faculty and staff may be interested in our car/vanpool program. There are many advantages to the program, one of which is a confirmed parking space on campus that the users will choose. Read more about all the benefits.
The short-term solutions will take effect when students return to campus after spring break and last for the remainder of this semester. These steps are designed to minimize the impact of the parking changes on students, faculty and staff during the spring semester. Long-term solutions for the 2012-2013 academic school year are still being developed.
Town hall meetings will be held on March 5 from 2-3 p.m. and March 8 from 6:30-7:30 p.m. to gather feedback about the short-term solutions and develop new ideas for the future. The community is also encouraged to send comments through a form on the parking website.
The construction will also reroute pedestrian traffic from the Polo and Martin residence halls and the student apartments to keep students safe while the buildings go up.
Categories: University Announcements