A WyoVocal petition to build a parking garage or add a permit parking lot raised enough votes to prompt further research and development by ASUW.
ASUW charged the Student Outreach and Policy Committee, headed by Kadi Cooley, with the issue.
According to the report released by the committee, “the main problem with a parking garage is the cost of construction and the cost of upkeep. The garage would have an estimated 500 to 700 spots, which cost between $25,000 and 35,000 each, only including the building, not the cost of site work.”
Despite the price tag, petition-supporter Heather Roecker said she still sympathizes with the petition, which calls parking “the single most frustrating thing as a student.”
“I’ve had times where I’ve been out there circling Union lot, looking for a spot for 15 minutes,” she said. “Sometimes you almost get in car wrecks looking for a place to park.”
The ASUW report pointed out the state legislature has denied funding for similar proposals before, so the most likely source of funds for this development would be an increase in student fees.
“If they’re going to raise student fees, this is what they should do it for,” Roecker said. “I feel they’ve raised student fees in the past that we don’t necessarily want or need as the student body but if they’re going to raise student fees for something, that would be a good thing to raise them for.”
The report also highlighted buses as an alternative solution.
“A bus route would cost from $300,000 to $400,000 for everything,” the report reads. “One idea has been to add a north route. Other suggestions include adding a route to Campus Habitat or near Harney. In order to add routes, there has to be funding which could come from the previous suggestions above.”
Paul Kunkel, manager of transit and parking services, said the idea has merit.
“We’ve been able to supplement a lot of the parking problems with transit,” Kunkel said. “We’re seeing almost 700,000 riders a year on the transit system.”
Kunkel said the ASUW committee had come up with some good ideas, but ultimately the issue would depend on the university’s priorities.
“We still have some parking issues, and every college campus does,” he said. “Whether or not a parking garage is something we’re going to see in the next few years, I have no idea.”
