Parking Officials Make Changes

By Connect Mason Reporter Rachael Dickson.

Several new construction projects at Mason's Fairfax campus have forced parking lots to close, removing nearly 1,000 spaces. As Mason commuters scramble to find convenient parking, Mason’s Parking & Transportation Services has been working to mend the situation.

“We’re aware of the impacts and the frustrations it causes people,” said Josh Cantor, Director of Parking & Transportation. “We just have to constantly work to get out information to people.”

Parking Phases

Lot F, a parking lot used by many commuter and resident students at Mason, was closed completely in order to make way for Parking Deck III, a project which will eventually provide 2,760 parking spaces on separate levels to visitors, commuters, resident students, and faculty. The Deck, originally slated to be completed in two separate phases broken up by several years, has had its second phase approved for immediate construction after Phase I, a development which will save approximately $3 million from the original cost to the school. These savings will be passed on to the students, who will have less of a rise in parking permit prices than originally thought might occur, according to Cantor.

The same area will also be used to build a Public and Safety Office. Construction on the Patriot Circle Spur Road that will connect Patriot Circle to University Drive is expected to be completed March 1.

Parking & Transportation sent out e-mails, posted announcements on talkmason.com and placed signs by Lot F notifying students of its closure.

“People may not like it but in the end people respect you for having the information instead of being uninformed,” Cantor said.

The First Week

In order to coordinate the first week of school this semester, Cantor stationed parking and transportation staff all over campus and worked with the police to make sure the situation was taken care of.

As predicted by the flyer released by Parking & Transportation before school began, on the first day of school, Lot K filled up quickly, the Field House parking lot almost filled (with 20 spaces left) and, by late afternoon, people were able to go back and park on campus.

Cantor said that Wednesday was even slower, with Lot K not filling up until the basketball game that night.

Thursday was not as busy early during the day, but the first rush between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. filled Lot K. The Field House lot pretty much filled up that day, with people eventually resorting to parking further down University Drive past the where the main campus ends. (Though Mason does not own or control the further reaches of University Drive, the city does not require a permit and parking there is legal.) According to Cantor, the West Campus lot still had space for 700 cars.

Cantor mentioned that despite the sale of 1,500 deck permits to the 930-space deck, Sandy Creek parking deck has still not filled up this week, with the roof remaining nearly empty most days. To head off visitor parking problems, the parking deck's roof was opened up to visitors for a set fee, a practice Cantor says would only be taken if permit owners could be accommodated as well.

According to Cantor, there have been a few cases of people demanding their money back for their parking permit because they claimed not to know that Lot F was closing, but, in general, the transition has been smooth.

Cantor expects Rappahanock Lane and parts of Lot G to close this semester to make way for Phase II of Deck III. Rappahanock Lane will be rebuilt to the west of Deck III.

Parking & Transportation is looking to see if they can add parking around campus, with the possibility of expanding Lot A and Lot K. There are also discussions underway with Facilities for a possible new West Campus lot, to be built this summer, which could add another 600 spaces. However, nothing is finalized as of yet.

“Part of our challenge is working with Facilities so we know what projects are coming,” Cantor said. “We also make sure Facilities knows the impacts on students and faculty and do what we can to mitigate those impacts.”

Pay to Park

With the new construction on Parking Deck III, parking permit fees are still expected to go up substantially over the next few years, even with the $3 million savings from the combining of Phase I and Phase II of the Deck.

Though final figures have not yet been determined, Cantor estimates that prices will go up at least $100 over the next two years, and will probably end up over $300.

Parking & Transportation will still try to maintain lower cost options, however, particularly in the West Campus lot area.

The sales of parking permits pay not just for debt service on the bonds taken out on the building of the new parking deck, but also helps cover transportation costs. Each year, the shuttles used by Mason students cost around $2 million, and another $400,000 is paid to the city of Fairfax for the use of the CUE system.