OSU parking plan progressing toward five-year goals

COLUMBUS -- In its first four years, the Transportation and Parking Five-Year Plan has generated $12 million in additional resources that have been used to improve parking and transportation services at Ohio State.

The additional revenue – along with revenue from existing resources – has resulted in increased campus bus riders; plans for two new parking garages; improved bus, garage and lot maintenance; and a continued emphasis on safety, said Sarah Blouch, director of Transportation and Parking Services, during an update on the plan to the university Board of Trustees Friday (6/7).

Fiscal year 2002-03 will be the final year of the five-year plan, which was approved by trustees in June 1998. Blouch asked trustees to approve a 10 percent rate increase on all parking permits as previously recommended in the plan for FY 2002-03. Parking permits for next academic year go on sale in July for faculty and staff, and are effective Sept. 1.

Also requested was a parking surcharge on rentals of intramural fields for community group activities and sporting events.

“Charging a $1 per person surcharge as part of the field rental charge will help to offset wear and tear on parking lots used by intramural guests who do not purchase OSU parking permits,” Blouch said.

Transportation and Parking has made progress toward reaching the goals set out in the five-year plan. Achievements over the past four years highlighted by Blouch included:

• The number of Campus Area Bus Service riders has continued to grow from one million rides in FY 97-98 to four million rides in FY 2000-01. The total cost to provide campus bus service is $45/hour compared to COTA’s $85/hour fully burdened operating cost.

• As part of the university’s effort to create 3,000 Central Campus parking spaces, the Tuttle Park Place garage opened in July 1999, providing 956 parking spaces and a unique blend of retail operations at street level. Blouch said two new garages should be open in January 2004. The Neil Avenue garage, located on the southern edge of the new Larkins Hall project, will provide 650 new spaces (a net gain of 450 spaces); while the Hospitals garage, located in front of Rhodes Hall and next to the new Richard M. Ross Heart Hospital, will provide 975 new spaces (net gain of 600 spaces). A fourth garage to be located at the corner of Tuttle Park Place and Lane Avenue continues to be evaluated, Blouch said.

• Rehabilitation of the North and South Medical garages will be completed by July; finishing touches will require closing the North Medical garage for one month following spring commencement. Additionally, 14 buses/shuttles have been purchased over the past four years to replace aging buses in service; 11 parking lots were resurfaced; and four new bus shelters were built.

• To address safety concerns, security cameras were installed in the West Campus lots, lighting has been upgraded in several garages, and vehicular and pedestrian traffic patterns on Tenth Avenue and Cannon Drive are being reviewed.

Transportation and Parking is currently faced with several key issues, including the impact of major construction projects on parking, traffic flow, safety and cost of bus operations; an increased cost of garage construction since the plan was adopted; and the financial stress created by greater than planned expansion of bus and shuttle service, Blouch said.

As parking lots have been lost to construction, additional bus service required to navigate campus and make remote parking acceptable to customers has been implemented.

“The expanded routes on and around campus are popular with students, staff and faculty,” Blouch said. “University customers depend on the six-minute bus service to and from remote parking locations to meet academic and work schedules.”

However, meeting customer needs is becoming costly. As Transportation and Parking continues to balance customer needs and available resources, various options will be presented this fall for campus-wide discussion and consideration. Additional updates will be presented to trustees this fall on issues and goals for FY 2003-04 and beyond.