Construction crews are busy building three parking lots on campus to alleviate parking problems.
The most visible project is the construction of a parking lot south of the Lloyd-Ricks Building. Because of the construction, a section of the heavily-traveled Creelman Street, which runs from Five Points intersection, commonly known as “Malfunction Junction,” will be closed until the lot is completed. A section of Darden Avenue that runs from Lee Boulevard to Tracy Drive has been permanently removed.
Paul Welch, director of support services, said the Lloyd-Ricks lot will become staff parking.
The $975,000 project should be completed by early September, said Ray Hayes, vice president of finance and administration.
Another parking lot, which was funded by the MSU Athletic Department, is near completion west of Davis Wade Stadium, University Relations Director Joe Farris said.
The $535,000 project will help alleviate parking problems on game days, but it has not been designated to a specific parking group during weekdays yet, Welch said.
“The parking lot being constructed west of the stadium and the Creelman Street project are near completion and will add several hundred parking spots,” said Vice President for Student Affairs William Kibler.
Dilapidated tennis courts on Stone Boulevard will be converted to another parking area as well. The spaces will connect Cresswell Hall and Hathorn Hall, Farris said.
Hayes said future improvements to existing parking areas include paving the gravel parking lot between McComas Hall and Hardy Road.
“The parking lot is set to be paved over the summer of 2005,” he said.
Also, students with north-zone and commuter parking privileges now have access to the parking lot formerly used by Hamlin Hall, Farris said.
Welch stressed that the MSU shuttle system could also help students with their parking frustrations.
“We encourage students to ride the shuttle,” he said. “They can park in the Humprey Coliseum parking lot and ride the maroon route in straight to The Union. The green route will take student from The Union to the coliseum parking lot, stopping only at the architecture building along the way.”
“On the maroon route a shuttle hits each stop every 8-9 minutes and for the green route the time is 6-7 minutes,” he added.
In past years, parking services has issued a $1 parking decal to students wishing to park in the Sanderson parking lot and ride the shuttle around campus, Welch said.
“The one dollar decal will be eliminated this year,” Welch said. “Students are still able to park in outer parking lots and ride the shuttles, but now they are required to buy a full price parking decal.”