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Arizona State University's North Campus Parking

Finding a place to park your vehicle when commuting to Arizona State University’s North Campus location during the day could very well turn into a challenge during the hours of 6 a.m. - 7 p.m. due to the fact parking is restricted to a limited number of parking garages, parking lots and metered parking spaces available to the public. While parking passes are available, students find this very frustrating due to the cost factor as they are already paying a high price for their education. A student from the University has expressed his point on parking at A.S.U. by saying “Parking on campus is terrible. It is hard to find anywhere to park that isn't free and if you don't want to pay then you have to take a bus that takes a while to get in between campuses or a light rail that I do not feel very safe on.” This particular student gave the parking options on the Campus a C- at best.

Aside from the fact that daytime passes are available there remains a lack of suitable places for the public to park during this time frame. While free parking is available to the public after 7 p.m. - 7 a.m. this does little to help the majority of A.S.U. North Campus students. Ideally students need more choices for free parking around campus as well as more locations from which to choose during the daytime hours.

Through my research I have concluded that students in particular should be presented with a variety of toll free parking for their motor vehicles. There are many stories of small-privatized parking lots in which students park, and end unsatisfied; or worse with damage to their vehicles. Situations like that of an A.S.U. student who had his tire punctured leaving a parking lot stated that, “The parking is expensive if you do not have a pass. I parked in a lot operated by a student. I left to attend class and came back two hours later to pay and leave. He was not there, I ended up waiting 40 minutes for him to return and when he finally did I paid and he lifted the thing blocking my exit. He forgot to put down the punctures that flatten tires and ended up putting a hole in one of mine.” It is instances like this, that A.S.U. should implement a regulated, multileveled, toll free, parking structure from the hours of 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. This structure would be another plus for A.S.U. students along with providing a safe and suitable area for their vehicles to be stored. I feel the Northern Campus of A.S.U would benefit greatly from having a wide selection of free vehicle parking; both for students and the public.

To support my position that A.S.U. North Campus needs free parking during the daytime hours I have chosen to evaluate the surrounding parking options on the North Campus of Arizona State University by putting together a selected criteria regarding cost to park, the time limit on parking, when parking is available, and the distance to classrooms. When evaluating the chosen parking options I will award a number out of five points total for the reviewed parking area; five representing excellence on fair pricing and so on, and one representing, expensive parking, unfair time limits, distance from classrooms and so on.

Choosing to evaluate the parking options based on parking cost, time limits, availability and distance from classes is essential to support my claim that parking on campus is expensive and the amount of daytime free parking readily available is close to nonexistent. In evaluating these parking options I will implement a sliding scale system based on “One to Five”; “Five” being the best score possible representing free parking and “One” representing expensive parking.

Limited parking times, such as metered parking, can be a factor in the number of courses students who commute to campus can attend and the distance from classes can be excessive. When evaluating these parking options I will again implement a sliding scale system based on “One to Five” with “Five” representing parking available for extended time limits and “One” indicating very limited parking times.

Most parking garages and lots only have a select time frame for public parking and these garages and parking lots, which are scattered around the North Campus, are only available through parking passes and during daytime hours. For the category of when daytime parking is available I will again use a sliding scale system based on “One to Five” with “Five representing parking that is open to the public and free of charge and “One” having no public parking. A number in-between “One and Five” would represent parking is offered to the public, but only at certain times of day.

The proximity to the classrooms is essential for students to reach their classrooms on time as well as to ensure the closest distance for students who walk to class when Phoenix temperatures are in excess of 100 degrees. When a parking option is given a “Five” it will represent the garage being close to campus. A “One” out of “Five” will represent the parking space is far from campus and a second means of transportation should be brought such as a bike, scooter, or skateboard.

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The Fulton Center Parking Structure

The Fulton Center Parking Structure is located on the North Campus of Arizona State University just north of University Street; just off of Collage Ave and 7th Street. This parking garage is perfect for those who enjoy covered parking in close proximity to the Engineering dorms of Palo Verde West, and Palo Verde Main, in addition to the Undeclared Majors dorm of Palo Verde West.

Currently available are 1180 parking spots, open to the public Monday through Thursday 6:00 a.m. -10:30 and Fridays 6:00a.m. – 8:30p.m.

The North Campus classrooms are only a short distance from the Fulton Center Parking, with Old Main, the oldest building on campus being only a 3-minute walk away. Besides Old Main, Mill Ave is a short 7-minute walk away and the Memorial Union, which is at the heart of campus, only an 8-minute walk away. However; once the pay booth closes, the Fulton Center has enforced parking pass rules for overnight-parked cars. A down side to parking here is the fact parking is not free; weekends included. The 4-hour maximum parking restrictions cut back on the amount of parking time, possibly running into conflicts with class schedules. On the plus side, this garage is a great choice for parking when visiting north campus, or anyone living in the A.S.U. dorms of Palo Verde East, Palo Verde West, and Palo Verde Main, as well as Manzanita Hall because this garage is located in a convent spot to reach the surrounding dorms quickly. It is also located close to restaurants such as Port of Subs, Panda Express, Fatburger and Baja Fresh, just to name a few, which are located on the west side of the parking structure. The Fulton Center garage is also a great choice if you are trying to reach classrooms close to Old Main and the tellers at the pay window are always pleasant and talkative.

Cost to Park 3.5 out of 5
· Cost to park is fair, but expensive compared to other parking garages.

Time Limit 2.5 out of 5
· The time limit of four hours can go by rather quickly while visiting someone on campus, and may be a hassle when classes run longer than an hour with the possibility of multiple classes in a day.

Time Able to Park 4.5 out of 5
· Having parking available starting at 6:00 a.m. is convenient for those who attend morning classes and the closing of the pay window being 10:30 p.m. giving those with late classes, and late nights on the street of Mill Ave, or late dinners a chance to return and pay. I gave it 4.5 points out of 5 because there is no free parking on weekends.

Distance to Closest Classroom 5 out of 5
· Distance to the closest classrooms on North Campus is a quick three minute walk way.

Stadium Parking and Palo Verde Parking

The Stadium Parking garage and Palo Verde parking lot is located South of Veterans Way, West of 6th Street and both are great places to park when trying to reach the North Campus dorms of Palo Verde East, West or Main; in addition to the neighboring Manzanita Hall. Both Parking choices are located across the street from the Sun Devil stadium as well as the Wells Fargo Arena positioning them as the farthest North Campus parking choices. However; there is no daytime parking for these two parking facilities without a pass, which is useless for those who need daytime parking. But if you are visiting the campus or commuting to the campus for evening classes these two parking options may be of use because of the open availability in addition to the free parking from 7p.m. to 7a.m. These parking options are both a 5-minute walk away from Old Main, 8-9 minute walk away from Mill Ave and a 8-9 minute walk away from the Memorial Union. Since both of these parking options are complimentary after 7p.m. you can simply go about your activities without the worry of parking fees. Both places are adequately lit which is a great safety factor when returning to your vehicle in the dark.

Cost to Park 5 out of 5
· There is no cost to park in the Stadium Structure or Palo Verde Parking lot simply because no public access is granted until 7 p.m. when it becomes free of charge. The cost to park is only applied when you purchase a parking pass for these lots during daytime hours.

Time Limit 4.5 out of 5
· I gave both parking options a 4.5out of 5 because the time frame to park for both the Stadium Structure Parking garage and Palo Verde Parking lot is from 7 p.m. – 7 a.m. for those without daytime parking passes.
· While the time limit is adequate for those parking overnight or with night classes, it may not be the best for most people who need parking during the day.

Time Able to Park 2 out of 5
· Parking in the Stadium Structure parking garage and Palo Verde parking lot is only available to the public who are not in possession of a parking pass from 7 p.m. – 7 a.m. making daytime parking not an option, which is the hours most people need a parking spot

Distance to Closet Classroom 4 out of 5
· The distance to the closest classrooms is a 5-minute walk on North Campus, making Old Main a 5-minute walk and the Memorial Union about a 8 or 9 minute walk.

Tempe Beach Park

Choosing to park at the Tempe Beach parking lot will save you money with free parking available from 6 a.m. – 10 p.m.; however, the lot is located East of West Rio Salado Parkway, which is well over a mile from the North Campus classrooms. I would recommend bringing along a second means of transportation such as a skateboard or scooter in order to cut down on the time factor in reaching the campus. While Tempe Beach Park offers free parking one might feel unsafe when returning to their car late at night. This lot is located on the outskirts of the campus; where not much activity takes place and homeless people tend to gather there during the evening hours.

Cost to Park 5 out of 5
· The cost to park at Tempe Beach Park is free all day until 10 p.m. No overnight parking is permitted.

Time Limit 5 out of 5
· The parking lot is open from 6a.m. to 10 p.m. allowing students with all day class schedules a place to park their vehicle without the worry of receiving a ticket.

Time Allotted to Park 4 out of 5
· Parking is available to the public from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. The parking availability is great for those looking for daytime parking as well as evening parking but it is not open overnight.

Distance to Closet Classrooms 1 out of 5
· The closet classroom to Tempe Beach Park would be the classrooms inside the Brickyard on Mill Ave which is on located on the outskirts of the campus, a 10 minute walk away with College Ave and University Street being an 18 minute walk away.

Metered Parking

The metered parking available to the students and public is offered with the choice of $1.50 per hour parking with a 3 hour maximum time frame or a 2 hour and 80 minute parking limit depending on the location of the meter. When parking at a meter it is important to be careful the meter is working properly and records the correct amount of money inserted in order to avoid a parking ticket. A student at A.S.U. stated, “Unless you splurge on a parking pass, parking on campus can be difficult at times. Relying on meters is a risky situation.” The metered parking I have chosen to evaluate, available on North Campus is scattered up and down the street of 7th Street and Forest Ave. Most of these parking meters lining the street are free after 7p.m. – 6a.m.

Cost to Park 4 out of 5
· The cost to park at the metered parking in relativity inepensive; being offered for $1.50 per hour, in addition to free parking after 7p.m.

Time Limit 2 out of 5
· The time limits implemented on the parking meters are short; allowing inadequate time to attend class or run errands. The 2 hour maximum parking is hardly sufficient time to remain parked.

Time Able to Park 5 out of 5
· The metered parking is available everyday 24 hours a day providing the opportunity for people to park whenever needed. Depending on the meter there is overnight parking as well.

Distance to Closet Classroom 5 out of 5 · The metered parking located off of 7th Street and Forest Ave is a mere 2 minute walk away from the Gallery of Design and a 3 minute walk from the College of Design South.

Tyler Street Parking Structure

The Tyler Street Parking garage is directly North of the Biodesign Institute Building “B” on Tyler Street. This particular parking garage is available after 7 p.m. until 12 a.m. free of charge; which is of little value to the majority of students who attend school during the daytime hours ("Parking In Tempe."). The closest classroom to this parking garage is the Biodesign Building “B” located on the south side of Tyler Street. Surrounding classrooms include: Psychology Building, International Logistics and Productivity Improvement Laboratory, the Planetarium and Space Photo Lab and Intrdiscip. Science and Technology 2 building. The down side to this parking garage is that the parking is not available to the public during daytime hours when these hours are the biggest challenge when looking for a place to park. On the plus side, this garage is in close proximity to the Hassayampa dorms, making it a convenient place to park for commuting family members or friends with free parking available after 7 p.m. It is also in a good location for the northwest classes on the Tempe Campus although, again; it is not of value during the daytime hours because of the strict daytime parking restrictions.

Cost to Park 5 out of 5
· There is no cost to park in the Tyler Street Parking garage after 7 p.m.

Time Limit 3 of 5
· The time limit to park in the garage is from 7 p.m. to 12 a.m. giving those with night classes a free alternative to park in a well lit garage which is close to their classrooms. It is also a great place to park for those driving to the campus to visit family or friends in the evening. These hours do not provide an overnight option and why I awarded this garage a 3 of 5.

Time Able to Park 2 of 5
· The Tyler Street Garage is only available to the public after 7 p.m. making the offered daytime hours non-existent and leaving the public to search for parking elsewhere. I awarded this garage a 2 of 5 because no daytime parking is offered.

Distance to Closet Classroom 4 of 5
· The distance to the closest classrooms is a quick walk across the street to the surrounding buildings of Biodesign Building “B” located on the south side of Tyler Street with the surrounding classrooms including the Psychology Building, International Logistics and Productivity Improvement Laboratory, and the Planetarium and Space Photo Lab and Intrdiscip. Science and Technology 2 building. The center of campus with reference to the A.S.U. Bookstore and Memorial Union is a roughly estimated 6 or 7-minute walk away.