Mississippi State University will add extensions to four parking areas on campus next fall to accompany the completion of the South Zone residence halls: Oak Hall and Magnolia Hall.
There will be 746 new parking spaces, costing a total of $2,522,800. Mike Harris, director of parking operations, said construction has begun and will be finished by the first week in August. Each paved space costs $3,800 for lighting, landscaping, curbs and gutters. Gravel spaces cost $1,200 each.
South Zone parking will see the majority of the parking additions. The South Zone parking lot behind Creswell and Hathorn residence halls will expand by 201 spaces, stretching from the end of the current lot to the intramural fields.
The currently in construction Arbor Acres student housing will host 275 paved spaces, with the bulk clustered in the northeast corner of the lot.
Additional spaces will wrap around the halls and run parallel to Blackjack Road. Magruder Street and Hardy Road will be accessible from the new lot.
The current gravel lot on the east side of Hardy Road will be redistricted to the South Zone. The music buildings and the Center for Educational Partnerships will receive 120 gravel spaces for Commuter East parking. The two new rows of spaces will be located south of Music Building A.
Commuter West parking will add 150 spots next to the Newell-Grissom building. The new parking lot will be where the Information Technology Services trailers currently reside.
Harris said the project is on track to be completed by its August deadline.