Parking and Transportation Issues
Presenter: Vicki Nelson
A
critical factor in living off-campus is transportation. How will
students get to the University?
Because parking space is limited, we do not
recommend that students plan to drive to campus. We strongly encourage
students to consider living close enough to campus that they can walk
or ride a bike, or they should keep bus transportation in mind as
they select an apartment.
Assignment
Consider the following questions, then check
the transportation information below:
How far from campus will your student live?
Less
than a mile
One or two miles
Three to five miles
Five miles or more
Students living less than a mile from campus
can walk or ride a bike. If they drive, they may end up parking farther
from class than if they walked! One to two miles is easy biking range;
three to five miles could be a good bike ride in nice weather, but
miserable in the winter or in rain—a bus would be a good option
in bad weather. Five or more miles is either bus or car range.
Is your student attending
day classes only?
evening classes only?
day and evening classes?
For students attending day classes only and
living near campus, walking is the best choice. Students who attend
evening classes usually can find parking, and several ramps offer
evening rates (check the Parking and Transportation Web site (www.umn.edu/pts/,
then link to Parking). Those attending day and evening classes will
probably save the most money and feel safest if they live near a
bus stop and take the bus.
Will your student
work on campus?
work off campus near the apartment?
work off campus, but not close to the apartment or the University?
It's easier for students to walk, take the
bus, or ride a bike if they work on campus near their apartment. Those
who work off campus and must travel to work may require a car if both
their job and apartment are not close to a bus line. It also can be
challenging for students to coordinate their class and work schedule
with the bus schedule.
Will your student
be
on campus only two or three days a week?
be on campus every week day?
be on campus every day, including weekends?
Buses don't run as often on weekends as they
do during the week. Students might prefer to drive to campus on weekends
but bus during the week. In recent years, we have found that parking
lots are most crowded on Wednesdays—that's the day most people
are on campus.
Will your student
have
some flexibility in his/her schedule?
have no schedule flexibility?
Students who drive but have some time flexibility
can park farther from their classes and take the free campus buses
from the parking lots to class. Students who have a very tight schedule
may need to park closer and pay more for their parking.
Busing
The University offers all students a U-Pass,
which allows students to ride any Twin Cities bus, any time of the
day, anywhere in the Twin Cities for $50 per semester. Information
on the U-Pass is available at the following Web site: http://buspass.umn.edu.
Students can use their U-Pass on Metro Transit
buses, which provide transportation throughout the Twin Cities
Metropolitan
area. Several bus routes from major areas within the Twin Cities
directly serve the University of Minnesota campus. Metro Transit
bus schedules are available by visiting www.metrotransit.org/.
Students can also call Metro Transit for bus information.
They can tell the phone attendant where they are and where they
want to go, and the attendant will give them bus numbers, times,
and transfer information. The Metro Transit 24-hour hotline is 612-341-4BUS.
Metro Transit information, as well as Metro Council information,
can also be found at the Parking and Transportation Web site, www.umn.edu/pts/.
In addition, all students have free access to University
shuttle buses.
—The Campus Connector provides direct bus service
between the St. Paul, East Bank, and West Bank campuses approximately
every five to thirty minutes, Monday through Friday, from 7:00 a.m.
through midnight and on weekends every 30 minutes from 9:30 a.m.
through midnight, depending on the time of day and the academic
year.
—The Campus Circulators provide service through
mini-buses that circulate on the St. Paul and East Bank campuses.
The service operates every 15 minutes, Monday through Friday, between
7:00 a.m. and 4:45 p.m. (Campus Circulators do not operate during
vacation periods.)
—The Washington Avenue Bridge Circulator provides
direct service between the East and West Bank campuses. The service
operates every 7-15 minutes, Monday through Friday, between 7:30
a.m. and 4:45 p.m. depending on the time of day. (The Washington
Avenue
Bridge Circulator does not operate during vacation periods and
summer sessions.)
All University buses are accessible to patrons with
disabilities. In addition, University Paratransit is a specialized
curb-to-curb transportation service provided to persons on campus
with either temporary or permanent disabilities. Service is free
and is available on a first-come, first-serve basis. This service
operates 7:30 am-5:00 pm, Monday through Friday, throughout the
year. Call 612-282-6619 to schedule a pick-up. Reservations are
accepted up to two days in advance.
Parking
Although we generally do not recommend that
students plan to park on campus, a limited number of commuter parking
spaces are available through a Student Commuter Lottery each semester.
Students can apply online for fall semester in late July at www.umn.edu/pts/studentcontracts.htm.
If a student is going to drive to campus, plan a parking
strategy in advance. Daily lots are the best choice if a student
will be on campus for more than an hour or two. The Huron Boulevard
Parking Complex (East Bank) and the Fairgrounds lot (St. Paul campus)
are daily lots used by many students and employees. Campus shuttle
buses stop at these lots to provide free transportation around the
St. Paul campus and to the East and West Banks. The transitway connecting
the St. Paul and Minneapolis campuses is a dedicated route for buses
and bicycles only, making it the quickest route between the campuses.
(Note: Overnight parking is prohibited in these lots. Cars must
be out of the lot before 11 p.m.)
Students who must drive to campus should plan to arrive
early. Parking lots can be full by 9 or 9:30 a.m. Carpool lots are
the most economical parking options on campus. A carpool means that
two or more people must be in the vehicle. Carpool lots are reserved
for carpoolers only until noon Monday through Friday. The carpool
lots switch to daily rate parking for the general public after noon.
To find other students or University staff who want
to carpool, Metro Commuter Services joins drivers and riders according
to home address locations. This organization offers a Guaranteed
Ride Home Program. In the event of an emergency, the Guaranteed
Ride Home Program provides a way to get home. Individuals will be
issued two coupons, good for six months, which can be used to ride
the bus or take a taxi home. Click on the link below or call 651-602-1602
for more information.
www.metrocommuterservices.org
For more information on parking rates and lot locations
check the Parking and
Transportation Web site and follow the Web links to parking
instructions.
Disability Parking
Any student with a current and valid state-issued
disability parking permit that is issued specifically to them (regardless
of the state) will be given priority parking and individualized attention.
Disability parking is not free; students pay the going rate, but some
accommodation can be made for location. These arrangements are available
for those with a temporary permit as well. Temporary disability parking
permits are often issued because of surgery, a skiing mishap, or other
short-term disabilities. Call Parking Services for more information,
612-626-7275.
Bicycles
Biking to the University—once a week,
or every day of the year—benefits everyone. Students save money,
get some good exercise, and have fun. The entire campus benefits from
the reduced congestion and lower energy consumption. The Parking and
Transportation Web site has a wide range of information on biking
at the University including personal safety, pedestrian safety, bike
regulations, how to prevent bike theft, bike paths and state organizations.
Students who are looking for extra
protection for their bicycle can rent covered bike lockers for nominal
monthly fee. Call 612-625-1333 to find out more information and location
availability.
For more information
on biking, go to the Parking
and Transportation Web site and follow the links to Biking.
More
The
Parking and Transportation
Web site provides the answers to most transportation questions.
A student advisory group provides feedback and
suggestions to the Office for Parking and Transportation. Currently,
the group includes representatives from the Student Senate, Minnesota
Student Association, Council of Graduate Students, Graduate and Professional
Student Association, Residence Hall Association, student representation
to the Board of Regents, and an "at-large" representative. Students
can contact these groups or the Office for Parking and Transportation
with parking suggestions and concerns. |
