Construction to cause parking shortage
New student apartments to be built on old spaces
   If you cannot find a parking space in the Tiger Stadium lot or the overflow lots, don’t bother heading toward the lot near Kirby Smith Hall.
The commuter parking lot near Kirby Smith Hall will be without nearly 500 parking spaces by Monday, said Parking, Traffic and Transportation Director Gary Graham.
On Monday, students should expect to see a fence blocking off the area designated for construction of a new student apartment complex, he said.
Some students are worried the Kirby Smith lot downgrade will cause more problems finding a parking spot.
Graphics design junior Jonathan Frederick said he feels there are not enough spaces anywhere on campus, especially in the Kirby Smith lot.
“It took me 20 minutes to find a spot here at noon,” he said. “I can’t imagine trying to find a spot after construction starts.”
Audie Stokes, a mechanical engineering freshman, said he had the same problem today and had to park near the back of the lot.
“People will probably be pissed off when they see what’s going on,” he said.
Graham said although the parking spaces will be permanently removed, the Office of Parking, Traffic and Transportation hopes to add more parking spaces in the future.
Construction taking place along Alaska Street will allow for the building of more parking spaces, he said.
However, Graham added the department can only add about 200 to 300 parking spaces in that area.
Graham did not say if the department plans to make up for the other lost spaces.
Benjamin Leger