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With an estimated 1,100 parking spots gone because of the construction of Parking Structure III and the new bookstore, parking continues to be a concern at Sacramento State.

Nancy Fox, the University Transportation and Parking Services director, said typically, parking is the worst during the beginning of the semester with many students trying to add classes, in addition to those already enrolled.To alleviate the problem, UTAPS has expanded parking to the stadium, when weather permits, and is using the off-campus parking lot on Ramona Avenue, which has 300 spots.The Ramona lot is one mile from campus and shuttle services provide transportation from the lot to the Public Safety Building, located near the Child Development Center. A Sac State permit is required to park in the lot.

“It’s working very well as a remote parking lot,” said Fox of the Ramona lot.Fox said the shuttle service does not run on a set time, but runs at an average of every 20 minutes, depending on traffic.The Ramona lot is open Monday through Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. In order to ensure the lot is not open past 7 p.m., and because parking is less of a problem in the afternoon, no cars are allowed to enter the lot after 2 p.m.

The busiest day for parking last semester was the first Tuesday of classes on Jan. 24 with 145 vehicles, Fox said. The Ramona lot usually has around 40 on Tuesdays and Thursdays and only an average of 10 on Mondays and Wednesdays.Dan Richardson, a Sac State junior studying psychology, said he used the Ramona lot on Jan. 24. He was redirected to the lot after finding the campus parking lots full.”It’s convenient; the shuttle service is OK,” Richardson said. He said he thinks it would be a good idea to post a sign at the campus entrance that the lots are full, so he doesn’t have to drive around in the full lots first.

Though signs are not posted at the campus entrances, in the first few weeks of each semester, UTAPS does post signs at the entrances of individual parking lots and parking structures, signaling to students that those particular locations are full.

Courtney Fasano, a Sac State junior majoring in social work, had not heard of the Ramona lot. She said she would not use the lot because she goes to her car throughout the day and it would be an inconvenience. She gets to school an hour before her 8 a.m. class to get a parking spot.Michael Baca, a senior majoring in business, advised students to come early. He said half an hour before class should be OK, but many students say that is cutting it close, especially in the first two weeks.The football stadium lot also saw extensive use on the busiest day last semester, with 350 vehicles parked there, Fox said. She said even then, on the busiest day, spots were always available to students.When Parking Structure III opens, an estimated 3,100 spots will be provided. This is anincrease of 2,300 spots from before construction began, Fox said. The structure is slated to open in Spring 2007.

While the 3,1000 spots may not seem like a lot for the approximate 28,000 students on campus, campus president Alexander Gonzalez said the parking situation will be less of a problem when the structure opens because the university doesn’t expect a rapid population growth.

To prevent building more parking structures and to alleviate parking problems, the campus is promoting and providing alternative forms of transportation.

Gonzalez said the campus is working on getting the Sac State TRAM project going. The Sac State TRAM would link the 65th Street Light Rail Station to the campus. So far, the project has received a $924,000 grant from the Sacramento Area Council of Governments. It is slated to have limited service by 2008.

Gonzalez also said the university is working with Regional Transit to see if Sac State can “get some attractive deal for students to use.” He added that students can ride the bus and light rail for free.

Fox said in the meantime, anyone coming to campus is urged to carpool, walk, bike or use other alternative forms of transportation.

“Ultimately, the goal is to get people out of their cars and make it so that it’s accessible and convenient, affordable for people to take alternative forms of transportation,” Gonzalez said.”We really want to encourage the use of Sac State Commute Choices,” Fox said.

For updates and information on parking conditions and alternate transportation, visit the UTAPS website at http://www.csus.edu/utaps.

Brandon Darnell can be reached at [email protected]