Years of effort to improve parking
The New Landscape for Learning initiative has transformed The University of Akron. Eleven new structures have been added to campus, including two classroom buildings, two residence halls, a new Student Union and a recreation center. Clearly, it is an exciting time to be here.
Because of this remarkable transformation and its favorable impact on enrollment, demand for parking is increasing. At the same time, some of the new buildings have encroached on parking.
In response, the University and its Office of Parking Services in recent years have added to the parking inventory and improved service by:
- cleared away older buildings and expanding open lots,
- leasing of existing parking lots from neighboring entities,
- constructing two parking decks,
- improving existing lots, and
- offering new services to residents and commuters, including campus shuttles and longer office hours at especially busy times.
New spaces created
Some from the class of 2008 may remember when the 1,051-space East Campus Parking Deck was opened on what used to be a surface lot next to Route 8. Many will remember the opening of the 1,136-space North Campus Parking Deck in the location where North Hall and surface lot previously existed. Some may remember a building on South Broadway that was demolished and the adjoining parking lot expanded. When Carroll Street was closed between the Rhodes Arena and the Student Union, both circles were created with additional parking spaces. Most recently, the Union Building at South Union and Buchtel Avenue was demolished and turned into an additional area for parking.
Leased spaces
During this time, The University of Akron has partnered with neighboring institutions to lease or purchase additional property for use in parking. Having already obtained a lease agreement with the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church for the use of 100 spaces, additional arrangements were made with the First United Methodist Church and the First Congregational Church for use of large portions of their parking lots. The largest acquisition by far is the most recent: the Quaker Square Inn with its roughly 500 parking spaces.
Making better use of space
Much work has also gone into finding more efficient ways to use our existing parking structures. Anything that could be removed from a parking area or moved from a central to a peripheral lot in order to free up needed parking spaces was moved: grounds-keeping materials and equipment, storage trailers, non-essential UA vehicles, and more. More than 100 parking meters and over 20 spaces reserved for state vehicles have been removed in order to create more room for students and employees with parking permits. Several “short-term” spaces in various lots have been created to assist our students and faculty who need to quickly make a pick-up or drop-off. Additionally, lots were analyzed so that additional parking spaces could be created from previously unused and unneeded driving areas. While these types of optimizations often lead to modest gains, our motto has been “every space counts.”
Enforcement services
Of the many parking-related services that the University of Akron has provided, perhaps the most misunderstood is enforcement: the issuance of parking tickets. Parking tickets are written for the sole purpose of keeping our parking areas open, accessible and safe for permit holders and visitors. It is the issuance of parking tickets that keeps our lots from being overrun by non-UA parkers visiting or working downtown or by inconsiderate parkers who block other vehicles or park dangerously in driveways.
Other services we offer
Many other parking-related services have also been provided. The campus shuttle system has changed quite a bit over the years. It now is operated by the University with services in and around the University and the downtown area. To better serve students, the Parking Services department has extended its office hours during the weekend prior to the start of each term and through the first week of the term. Additional staff members are also in place in various lots around campus during such times to offer assistance and directions. The availability of parking in virtually every lot on campus is monitored for the first six weeks each semester and this data is recorded and used to improve the suggestions that we offer regarding the best locations to park.
As our campus has transformed in recent years and as enrollment has grown, increasing demand has been placed on our parking facilities. Throughout this transformation, the availability of parking has been a priority and much has been done — more than has been mentioned here — to further this goal. Plans are being made to extend our services and expand our parking facilities, including the construction of a new 1,600 space parking deck. Our commitment to excellence extends beyond the classroom. We thank all of you who have been with us during this exciting period of transition.
