After nearly two years of frustration and uncertainty over parking-related problems and construction conflicts, Parking Structure III is officially open for business.

University Transportation and Parking Services Director Nancy Fox announced Friday that the new addition will add approximately 3,000 spaces to the campus’ parking inventory. She went on to say that of those 3,000 spots, 200 will be used for disabled and special function parking, with the remaining 2,800 spaces left for students.

“The opening of PS III should bring a great relief to the parking challenges we have experienced over the past couple of years,” Fox said.

That statement is music to many students’ ears, including senior public relations major Tara Pekarsky.

“I’m really excited about the opening,” Pekarsky said. “I can’t wait to see if and how it will reduce traffic problems and congestion.”

Fox said the Jan. 26 opening is only the first of a number of parking-related changes planned for the spring 2007 semester.

She said that along with the opening, students and faculty members can also expect the addition of a valet service in the form of “convenience parking.”

Fox said that for now, “convenience parking,” a valet service, will take up to 120 spaces on the structure’s first floor. Hours of operation have been set from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday when class is in session.

While Parking Structure III has officially been deemed a student-only structure, Fox said that the “convenience parking” service will be available to everyone, including staff and faculty members.

Anyone with a valid parking permit may utilize the valet parking for a $3 fee, Fox said.

Those who do not have a parking permit can purchase a daily pass, the price of which has risen to $5 from $2.75 last semester. People buying daily passes may also use the valet service, Fox said.

Fox added that the daily parking permit fees increased because the state doesn’t allocate money for the building or operation of onsite parking structures.

“Because there is no money from the state, the university must have what we call ‘user fees,'” Fox said. “All the revenue that (UTAPS) collects from parking permit user fees goes into a parking fund, which is then used to build, maintain and operate the structures.”

This particular increase is very important because UTAPS and the university have gone into debt and are now making payments on parking structures II and III, Fox said.

Fox said parking Lots 4 and 6, which are located both east and south of the University Union, will be designated faculty and staff only, as announced in early December 2006. While it may still be too early to tell, Fox said that the faculty and staff response has been positive thus far.

“We have received positive comments from faculty and staff about the reallocation oflots 4 and 6,” Fox said. “While faculty and staff members would probably like to park in the new parking structure, it seems that most people understand.”

Many faculty members., including former president of Sac State’s Chapter of the California Faculty Association Jim Chopyak, say that there is a reason that faculty outcry hasn’t been larger.

Parking structure III is not the problem, Chopyak said. The problem is that faculty and staff members still cannot park in Parking Structure II.

While Fox sympathizes with the faculty, she said the changes to lots 4 and 6, along with the opening of Parking Structure III should make everyone happy.

Fox said during the construction of the new structure, 806 parking spaces were inaccessible.

Now, “students, staff and faculty members should experience relief (from this with the addition of the approximate) 3,100 parking spaces,” Fox said.

According to a UTAPS press release, the amount of new spaces, for both faculty members and students, is so large it will actually eliminate the university’s need for off-campus parking. This means that lots such as Ramona Avenue, McAuliffe Baseball field, Knights of Columbus, and even the stadium will no longer be available.

Ashley Evans can be reached [email protected]