AUGUST 2000
3,000 NEW PARKING PLACES PROMISED
By Jill Elish
FSU Communications Group
Finally, parking relief is on the way to the FSU campus, but there's a price to be paid by students, faculty and staff.
A new transportation fee will be assessed to all students to pay for better parking and ultimately add about 3,000 spaces. Faculty and staff will see permit fees double over the next five years.
"The past and current transportation programs simply have not worked; The Legislature understood this and passed a new law to allow a mandatory transportation fee for students," said John Carnaghi, senior vice president for finance and administration. "Students have complained for years that there is no place to park at this university. We simply need to meet this complex issue head on."
Starting this fall, students will pay $2.85 per credit hour - $42.75 per semester for those taking 15 credit hours. In the fall of 2002, when the new parking is all in place, the cost will rise to $4.90 per credit hour, said Angela Gaskins, director of parking and transportation services.
Students will be allowed to park at no additional cost in all student-designated areas on campus. Now, students pay $51.50 for an annual permit. The Student Government Association will no longer have to contribute $276,000 to the bus system.
The fees are necessary to build two new parking garages and
new parking lots and pave, light and landscape gravel lots. A
fourth garage is also being planned for Stadium Drive. The plan
also calls for bike paths and bike racks and three new bus routes.
Gaskins said the fees are necessary because the state does not
pay for parking on university campuses, and citations, permits
and meter collections are not generating enough revenue to make
the improvements.
One parking garage will be on Woodward Avenue behind Montgomery Gym, while the other is proposed for the corner of Macomb and Call streets. A garage across from Oglesby Union will be converted from paid to free for students and others with a permit.
A new 300-space parking lot will be created near Smith and Salley halls.
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