November 3, 2009

Parking Services aiming to meet needs today, tomorrow

The campus parking system, serving a population of 50,000 people, balances competing factors while striving to provide the best possible customer service today and in the future.

For more than 40 years, the system has rested on planning and monitoring by a committee of faculty, staff and students who account for everyone's interests.

"Naturally, every driver would like to find the most convenient space every time," says Holly Alexander, parking facilities manager. "That just isn't possible, but data indicate that the campus has sufficient parking at very reasonable costs."

The campus has about 12,400 spaces in garages and lots. Their allotment to A, B, C, CG (garage) and Reserved permit categories is based on carefully monitored statistics on usage. No category exceeds the industry standard for "full," which is 90 percent use.

Historically, Purdue has taken advantage of its location, available land and general fund support to provide the lowest or near-lowest cost for parking among Big Ten universities.

The system is complemented by Purdue's investment in CityBus campus routes and subsidies of all riders showing a current Purdue ID. In 2008, this arrangement covered 3.6 million rides on campus loop routes alone.

Purdue also has its two-year-old Boiler Ride program, an easy and secure online means of arranging carpooling and ridesharing.

"Two lines of thought guide us," Alexander says. "One is to provide adequate parking in the right places. The other is to provide meaningful alternatives to bringing a vehicle to campus."

Both approaches appear prominently in the new Parking + Transportation Demand Management Study, prepared as a companion to the campus master plan. The study for the Parking and Traffic Committee was conducted by Sasaki Associates, which also was the consultant for the campus master plan.

"The theme of sustainability figures strongly into how these priorities get worked out," Alexander says. "So does the master plan principle of compactness."

Eventually, too, parking operations are to meet the goal of financial self-sufficiency. Purdue kept the annual cost of an A permit at $72 from 1971 to 2004, when a staggered increase took effect to move gradually toward eliminating dependence on the general fund.

The rate now is $250 annually for A permits. Reserved spaces are $1,000. An expected increase this year was put off because no raises in pay were possible. Purdue's system remains among the lowest in cost to users but also not self-sufficient.

Planners also point out the cost of garages: currently $17,000 per space for construction and $140 per year in maintenance, as against paved surface lots ($2,500 and $40) or gravel ($1,500 and $30). These figures do not include land, lighting or any demolition to clear space.

In the meantime, diligent allotment of parking resources has helped sharply decrease the number of citations issued for five consecutive years -- from 48,298 in 2003-04 to 28,659 in 2007-08.

Purdue's practical approach includes requiring permits only 7 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday. Some universities have many more restricted hours. Of course, special parking spaces -- disability, reserved, University vehicle, etc. -- are restricted at all times.

Certain areas of the academic campus also are off limits to student vehicles 7 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday to curtail traffic and improve pedestrian safety.

"Our committee has done a fine job of making sure that parking opportunities meet as many needs as possible," Alexander says.