You’re reading a story from Sidelines 100, a project showcasing a century of student storytelling at Middle Tennessee State University. Sidelines 100 plans to highlight 100 stories from the newspaper archives this fall and spring.
This story originally ran in the Aug. 31, 1998, edition of Sidelines. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay on top of all things Sidelines 100.
The story has been updated for current basic AP style, but the wording in the story has not changed. Any ideas, perspectives or opinions do not necessarily reflect those of Sidelines.
As MTSU suffers the growing pains of rapidly increasing enrollment, the department of Parking Services is striving to treat the symptoms of overcrowded parking quickly and effectively.
In July, Parking Services reported 8,131 parking spaces including metered, disabled and peripheral office parking. The Office of Enrollment Management projected a fall enrollment of 18,773.
According to a memo issued by Connie Hagberg, the department has enlisted help from parking consultation firm Desman and Associates to deal with the university’s current and future parking needs.
As of Monday, Aug. 24, Parking Services had sold a total of 12,722 parking permits. By evaluating data generated by Desman and Associates, Parking Services hopes to know how many parking permits can be sold.
Deborah D. Roberts, director of the Administrative Services office of Vice President for Finance and Administration, said that the highest concentration of parking has been between 9-10 a.m. on Monday and Tuesday.
“We have looked into a parking garage but we would have to triple fees to afford one,” Roberts said.
Desman and Associates estimate the cost of constructing a parking garage at $10,000 per space for paved surface lots.
“We would rather gradually increase fees and build more surface lots than dramatically increase fees to get a parking garage,” Roberts said.
Parking Services plans to pave at least one gravel parking lot and has begun planning for two new paved lots to be completed some time in 1999.
According to J. Wallace, administrative coordinator of construction, parking area construction surrounding the new library will provide 202 general parking spaces and 21 disabled spaces as early as mid-September.
Wallace said construction will begin soon on a new entrance to the Ezell and Abernathy lot opposite the entrance to Married Student Housing, transforming the existing three-way intersection into a four-way intersection.
“People leaving that lot around 9:00 in the morning turn right or they don’t turn at all,” Wallace said. “Moving the entrance to a four-way stop should correct that situation.”
Once crews complete the new entrance, the pre-existing entrance will close. Redirecting traffic flow in the Ezell and Abernathy parking area will facilitate easy access to new parking created north of the new library while freeing motorists from making a treacherous left turn out of the original entrance during high traffic hours.
As an auxiliary department, Parking Services receives no funding from either MTSU or the state, operating solely from funds collected from parking fees.
Fees include parking permits – which cost $30 for black permits, $45 for green permits and $65 for white permits – and citations, which vary in price from $10 for overtime parking to $200 for displaying a forged/altered or unauthorized permit.
Parking Services pays for new parking lots, shuttle services and maintenance, as well as 22 employee salaries out of its budget. As MTSU grows, Parking Services must raise funds to accommodate parking needs.
Despite having laboriously searched the livestock parking area and hiked in the afternoon heat, Tom Tozer of the office of News and Public Affairs said that Parking Services makes the most of its limited budget.
“Personnel costs are 20 percent of operational cost,” Tozer said. “Typically, for an operation of this size, personnel costs range from 40 to 80 percent. I think the money is being spent frugally and wisely.”
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