Smooth Opening Expected in Parking, Traffic for UC Students

UC officials have been reviewing plans for the start of the year to ensure a smooth opening for the campus community for the fall academic quarter.

Traffic and parking are always near the top of the list of questions that students have as the school year starts. This year looks like a smooth opening for students on those fronts.

As always, its important for students to plan to allow extra time to reach campus during the first two weeks of school, as new students find their way and traffic patterns begin to be established.

Cash parking will have limited availability in many garages during the early part of the day at the start of the quarter, as parking officials reserve enough spaces to meet the needs of monthly and quarterly key card holders.

One temporary boon for those seeking cash parking to be aware of at the beginning of the quarter, though, is the Clifton Court garage located in the northwest segment of UCs Uptown West campus. That garage will have approximately 475 spaces open for cash parking only until at least Oct. 1.

Sometime after that point, though, the Clifton Court garage will be closing, according to John Wynn, UCs assistant director of parking field services. The garage will be undergoing a major renovation that is expected to take a year to complete.

Those that had been parking in Clifton Court on a permanent basis have been given an option to take advantage of an agreement with the operators of the Stratford Heights parking facility, located across the street from campus on Clifton Avenue.

Students who are still looking to establish parking arrangements for fall quarter can contact Parking Services at 513-556-2283 or visit their Web site to determine the current availability of decals.

Parking services is located on the first floor of Edwards Four, near the corner of Corry Street and Jefferson Avenue. More information can be found on Parking Services Web site at www.uc.edu/parking

No major construction projects are expected to impact traffic in the areas near campus. Traffic has been impacted this summer by Duke Energy crews working on gas line installation projects on Clifton Avenue and McMillan Street, but that work is scheduled to be completed by Sept. 19. If any additional work needs to be done after that point, Duke will schedule it during non-peak times for campus traffic.

Both traffic and parking will also be aided by UC's new partnership with Metro, which should cut down on pollution and congestion from the UC commute. A two-year partnership funded by UC Student Government and the university administration provides free rides for the UC community on any Metro bus, at any time, on any route. The program is open to all UC students, faculty and staff.

Metro spokesperson Sallie Hilvers says that from April 30, when the program first got underway, through the end of August, nearly 200,000 rides had already been provided to faculty, staff and students as part of the new program.

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