THE CITY of Charlottesville has decided to decrease parking in the area for non-residents (a.k.a. University students), but students are likely more confused than angry with the decision because anyone who has been at the University for more than five minutes knows that such parking is already non-existent. As talk of budget deficits, hiring freezes, cutbacks and decreased course offerings swirls through the University, a full-blown epidemic of cantparkmycorollaitis has stricken students living off-Grounds.
Parking may appear a luxury to some, but the dearth of parking spots is no mere inconvenience to students. The number of parking spots on and around Grounds is shrinking and the University seems to have no plans in place to help students who need to drive. If the administration continues to ignore the situation, serious problems only will be exacerbated. New parking garages and increased parking space availability is essential to keep off-Grounds students from drifting off into truancy, absenteeism and isolation.
Many students will skip a class if there is no way to get to a class in less than 20 minutes or if the weather is bad. And there are some students that aren't even offered on-Grounds housing who have no choice but to live on one end of campus. New transfers can feel isolated from joining in social activities and events when getting to campus is so hard. There are doubtless plenty of students who would spend more time on Grounds but find it too difficult. Not to mention the students who need to work after school and cannot find a parking spot so they have to walk across campus before leaving for work. And the new decision only exacerbates the existing parking shortage by making it nearly impossible for students and visitors to get parking near off-Grounds apartments.
Clearly, long-term as well as short-term solutions are necessary. The Ivy Road parking garage will be a welcome addition to the University, but will help only visitors and some of the affected students. The people that live off Grounds already fight for street parking and even for spots in reserved lots. I have Charlottesville Wrecker on speed dial, which says something about the situation in my neighborhood. But the debate with the city over the garage's location, the imminent ground-breaking for the new U-Hall and this recent decision show that the worst is yet to come.
For now, the easiest short-term solution is improved public transportation. One important thing Parking & Transportation can do is consult with students and create express bus lines that would go from the corner of 14th street and Grady Ave to McCormack and Alderman without stopping, making the trip time about five minutes. Express lines might be the key to decreasing automobile congestion and even eliminating the need for parking.
However, public transportation is not always effective in short distances in circuitous patterns. There are many people who use UTS everyday and love it, but for the students who need to get to the other end of campus in a hurry, it is not feasible. Most of the time it makes more sense to make the long walk to the other end of campus rather than take the bus.
The Ivy Road parking garage will help create extra parking for visitors, for sporting events and for those living very far from Grounds. A new parking garage behind Cabell would also greatly help to alleviate the parking crunch. The plans for the new Arts & Sciences building could incorporate an underground garage. The Grounds are very crowded, but if there is nowhere to build up, we can always build down. Many urban universities incorporate underground garages in new buildings and it should be given serious consideration. It costs serious money, but perhaps the school could get more support from donorswho are behind helping students instead of sports fans who want a better arena.
Once the two garages (the real and suggested) are complete, the University could open up a few more lots so that students could park closer to their classes. Faculty and staff deserve and require parking near their jobs, but students do as well. Rather than ignoring the needs of students, the University could build the garage behind or below Cabell, create some more spaces where possible and then open some current spaces to off-Grounds students only. It would not put faculty low on the priority list, as they would have access to and might prefer the garages. The opening of such lots behind the physics building and at the AFC would provide a variety of places to park around Grounds and would allow students to get close to classes rather than cut them.
The University also can restrict first years from having a car both semesters to ease the burden around town, but that should be only a temporary solution. We were all first years once and feel their pain, but it should be noted that most schools do not allow freshmen to have cars at all.
Traffic regulations, zoning restrictions and the campus layout doubtless make progress difficult, but the current situation is detrimental to the lives of students living off-Grounds. There are experts that can be consulted who can come up with creative solutions and maximize the space on Grounds. Students can get by as the situation stands, but the University must at least examine the situation and discuss possible resolutions.
(Brad Cohen's column appears
Thursdays in The Cavalier Daily. He can be reached at bcohen@cavalierdaily.com.)
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