p>Construction is underway on a project aimed at alleviating the campus’ parking problems.
Workers recently broke ground on a new stadium parking garage at lot 15D, located at the intersection of Cullen and Holman. The garage will increase the parking capacity to over 2,300 spaces, more than doubling the amount of student parking currently available in the lot, and will add some much needed retail and dining spaces to the area.
The parking garage addition is scheduled to be a 10-month project, and will finally open in the summer of 2012. However, construction will render 1,100 spaces unavailable throughout the duration of the project.
Parking and Transportation Services has taken a number of initiatives to help deal with the loss of parking spots. Parking lot 16D, located on the corner of Cullen and Elgin, has undergone some expansion during the summer to help with the parking situation, and new lots have opened near Bayou Oaks as well as along Leek Street between Anita and Dennis.
In addition, two shuttled lots will be available at TSU for UH students with valid UH permits.
Even with these measures, unfortunately, officials reported a bleak outlook for commuters who have to park on campus in the upcoming school year.
A press release issued by the UH department of parking and transportation said that the UH community should be prepared for a challenging year.
“Enrollment forecasts indicate the University of Houston is on track to exceed last year’s record enrollment,” said Eric Holamon, the manager of customer service for parking and transportation, in a press release.
“This increased enrollment, combined with the amount of construction on campus, including the new stadium garage, and its impact on parking availability, will create a significant strain on the existing parking infrastructure.”
To help lessen the stress, the Parking and Transportation Services suggested that students avoid driving by utilizing the 50 percent discount for METRO tickets available for students, or carpooling with friends.
The department also said that on-campus residents can become members of the Connect by Hertz Car Sharing Program for free, which provides students with a rental car at the rate of $8 an hour, gas and insurance included.
Students that plan to park on campus should arrive at least one hour before classes start to find a spot.
For more information detailing parking options and construction plans, visit the parking and transportation website at www.uh.edu/parking.
This highlights the poor planning done by the university, not pros and cons of owning or renting a car.