Parking garage or lot is not the solution

Some students have expressed desires for a new parking garage. JOEY FERGUSON | Scroll Illustration

“Let’s send all the bums to the moon.” 

This was my friend’s solution to the ongoing homeless problem in San Francisco. I know it is outrageous. What students may not realize is that the request for a parking garage is almost as extreme as my friend’s NASA/San Francisco collaboration.

In a recent survey done by the Student Representative Council and University Communications, many students are calling for a parking garage to alleviate the parking problems. Some students even suggested tearing down the Oscar A. Kirkham building to make room for their desires. 

“[Building a parking structure is] everyone’s gut reaction when everyone thinks about parking,” said Greg Palmer, a religion professor at BYU-Idaho and the chairman of the parking committee on campus. “We have enough parking.”

The average cost of a simple parking lot would be about $5,000 per space. The cost of a parking garage on campus would be worth about $20,000 per space. If the demands of the students were met, then it would prove to be a costly solution, said Garth Gunderson, the university security director and a member of the parking committee.

For example, if a parking garage were built to cater to 25 percent of the campus, then we would need to have about 4,000 stalls. An average parking garage for that amount of people would be about $80 million. That is enough money to buy over 5,300 Toyota Corollas. If we wanted a parking lot, it would cost $20 million.

Some students have suggested paying a small toll to park in the garage. This may prove to be more expensive than anticipated.

If the school were to charge 4,000 students $100 dollars a month for a space in the garage, then it would take a little over 16 years to pay off the original cost. Students may be apprehensive to pay this monthly fee considering the price of a parking permit is currently $5 -10 for an entire semester. 

Granted, the parking situation could get worse due to the new auditorium and an increase in enrollment. However, the solution to build a parking garage is costly and impractical.

Jonathan Clare, a sophomore studying horticulture and a resource representative on the SRC, does not believe that it is a necessary solution. He also feels that students need to realize that the problem isn’t the parking itself but the way we are using it. 

The price is not the only problem that surrounds this radical solution. The building of a parking garage will bring in more traffic and only frustrate problems.

Students are concerned that they cannot find a spot near their building. A parking garage will not solve this problem. There is no open space in the center of campus. The only space where additional parking could be added is at the south end of campus, which is far from the solution. 

Besides, there is already a vast amount of free parking that students can use on the south end of campus. The real solution to the problem is that someone is going to have to walk.

“I’m sure that our leadership would prefer that those who are capable of walking park on the edge of campus and walk to class rather than spending school funds on parking,” said Palmer.

There are more practical solutions to the parking problem than simply building a garage. Students should find simpler ways to solve the problem. This may mean walking. I know that is outrageous, but at least it will save $80 million.

 

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