The campus parking situation, often a contentious issue, could significantly worsen as construction progresses on the planned biotechnology and interdisciplinary facility and electronic media and performing arts center. The RPI Office of Parking and Transportation has considered several possible solutions to parking problems.
"Parking is a tough issue at RPI and at other colleges. All the planned construction is only going to make finding a parking spot tougher," said GM Gil Valadez. Valadez serves on the Parking Review Board along with Nagesh Rao, chair of the student motor vehicle court, and Chris Covino.
The parking office has recommended carpooling as one solution to the parking problem. The office launched a system for faculty, staff, and students to view and add listings for carpool opportunities. Additionally, two or more vehicles participating in a carpool may share a parking permit’s cost.
Renovation work on the Houston Field House’s parking lots, designed to create 500 spots for student use, has been proposed as another option. An expanded shuttle service would allow students parking at the Field House to be transported to the campus faster.
The parking office is "working to minimize the impact on campus. We’re trying to make it as easy as we can. We ask that the campus cooperates and understands," said Carol Wagar, parking coordinator. "Parking is going to get better after the construction."
The construction of an approximately 500-space parking garage between College Avenue and the MRC/Cogswell Laboratory could eliminate some of the parking congestion on campus. Plans for the parking garage are currently being considered by Campus Planning and Facilities Design.
Wagar noted that this year’s discouragement of freshman parking and next year’s planned complete ban on freshman parking are not intended to help solve the parking situation but rather to enhance the first-year experience; freshmen can use the freely available campus shuttle service instead.
She added that prohibiting freshman parking would not significantly affect the campus parking congestion because only a small number of freshmen typically bring cars to RPI and park on the campus.
Students who had D permits were formerly allowed to park in the lot near Hall Hall and the Armory extension commuter lot because studies at that time showed those lots were underused. That temporary allowance was rescinded recently, however, because recent studies have shown that full use of those lots is needed by cars with G permits.
While the Office of Parking and Transportation considers solutions to parking congestion, students, faculty, and staff with cars on campus will have to learn to cope with the current troubles.
To find out more information on RPI parking, visit the Office of Parking and Transportation’s website at http://www.rpi.edu/dept/parking/.
