Students who usually park in the lot off Nicholson Drive Extension, south of Patrick F. Taylor Hall, will have to find other places to park this semester. Construction on the parking lot began shortly after Christmas break. The project is in response to the cracking and wear and tear as well as flooding of the surface. “The project was planned for the summer in order to minimize the impact of students along withfootball in the fall,” said Gary Graham, director of the Office of Parking, Traffic and Transportation. “But because of the huge amount of the project, it would be a 120-day project, so we decided to wait until the spring.” Kyle Nijoka, construction management junior, said this frustrates him because it throws off his normal routine. “I hate it,” Nijoka said. “I’m gonna have to walk a hell of a long way to my classes now.” Graham also said the $2.2 million project would also depend on the weather’s cooperation in order to finish the job on time. The project is scheduled for completion in April. Steven Mullen, basic science senior, said he is not too upset about the change. “It shouldn’t affect my planning too much,” Mullen said. “It depends on my class schedule and where I have to go. Plus, they have plenty of commuter parking lots.” The contractor for the project, Industrial Enterprises, is also responsible for other construction projects on campus, such as the South Stadium parking lot. Graham said that with the reconfiguration of the road, an additional 50 to 60 parking spaces will be added to the current 1,380. The parking lot, built over a golf course in 1999, has been deteriorating over the past few years. Graham said the Office of Parking, Traffic and Transportation has been patching up the lot since it was built, and administrators see the project as a complete makeover. Graham said there could be only one explanation for the deterioration of the parking lot. “The lime, which is a substance that holds the parking lot together, was neutralized because of the fertilizers that were sprayed on the golf course over the years,” Graham said. He also said parking accommodations at places such as Alex Box Stadium and the ostrich farm will be made available for students during the spring.
—-Contact Louis Pelletteri III at [email protected]