More Students More Parking

[jackmd]

More Students...More Parking
From the WNAX website:

http://www.wnax.com/page.php?categor...&item_id=35841

A preliminary report on the future enrollment of South Dakota State University projects about thirteen thousand six hundred students on the Brookings campus in the next few years. That would be up from the current enrollment of just over eleven thousand.

Besides class rooms, housing and teachers for those students, the university will have to find room for more cars.
SDSU President Dr David Chicoine says they have that in mind as they prepare to grow…………..David Chicoine

Chicoine says they plan to develop more parking that is relatively close…………….David Chicoine

Chicoine says they want to make changes that will improve the looks of the campus…………..David Chicoine

Chicoine says details of the master plan should be updated later this summer.

[JimmyJack]

Re: More Students More Parking

More Students...More Parking
From the WNAX website:

http://www.wnax.com/page.php?categor...&item_id=35841

A preliminary report on the future enrollment of South Dakota State University projects about thirteen thousand six hundred students on the Brookings campus in the next few years. That would be up from the current enrollment of just over eleven thousand.

Besides class rooms, housing and teachers for those students, the university will have to find room for more cars.
SDSU President Dr David Chicoine says they have that in mind as they prepare to grow…………..David Chicoine

Chicoine says they plan to develop more parking that is relatively close…………….David Chicoine

Chicoine says they want to make changes that will improve the looks of the campus…………..David Chicoine

Chicoine says details of the master plan should be updated later this summer.

From what I've heard, the plan moves us to a predominantly walking campus with peripheral parking in ramps and lots surrounding campus and a bus system to move people around. Probably a good move (most larger universities have moved that way in the last 25 years.) It's not without pain, though. I'm losing my reserved spot to the Avera Health Center construction, and I'm told it'll likely not return after the construction is done. Oh, well.

[BTownJack]

Re: More Students More Parking

Not that I'm saying you are complaning JimmyJack but I get really tired of those who constantly complain about parking at SDSU. If someone wanted to do a worthless study of quality parking on college campuses SDSU would rate very well. Space is a luxury on our campus that many other campuses don't have. Granted new parking spaces might mean a couple of extra minutes to one's walk each day we should all feel fortunate we have ample space for people to park.

As far as buses, ramps, etc., we don't need them as far as I'm concerned. As it stands now you can walk anywhere on campus under 10 minutes. We can continue to lay large flat parking spaces on our outer edges like the new one that just went up east of the Performing Arts center.

Lastly, I was recently down in Phoenix, AZ and someone was telling me about the insane fees charged at Arizona State University. It cost this person $900/year for a parking space that still required them to walk over half-mile to get where they wanted to go. Considering most of our parking passes are less than $100/year I think most of us should feel fortunate that parking at SDSU could be much worse.

[UWMandSDSU]

Re: More Students More Parking

Not that I'm saying you are complaning JimmyJack but I get really tired of those who constantly complain about parking at SDSU. If someone wanted to do a worthless study of quality parking on college campuses SDSU would rate very well. Space is a luxury on our campus that many other campuses don't have. Granted new parking spaces might mean a couple of extra minutes to one's walk each day we should all feel fortunate we have ample space for people to park.

As far as buses, ramps, etc., we don't need them as far as I'm concerned. As it stands now you can walk anywhere on campus under 10 minutes. We can continue to lay large flat parking spaces on our outer edges like the new one that just went up east of the Performing Arts center.

Lastly, I was recently down in Phoenix, AZ and someone was telling me about the insane fees charged at Arizona State University. It cost this person $900/year for a parking space that still required them to walk over half-mile to get where they wanted to go. Considering most of our parking passes are less than $100/year I think most of us should feel fortunate that parking at SDSU could be much worse.

While going to school at UWM, I had to park at an off campus parking lot and ride a bus that took 10 minutes to get to campus. I am guessing this is a commong thing at a lot of other bigger city universities. So students, faculty, visitors should feel pretty lucky when parking at SDSU.

[JimmyJack]

Re: More Students More Parking

Not that I'm saying you are complaning JimmyJack but I get really tired of those who constantly complain about parking at SDSU. If someone wanted to do a worthless study of quality parking on college campuses SDSU would rate very well..

I agree. Parking is certainly easier here than my prior stops at Iowa, Purdue, and Oklahoma.

[State_fan]

Re: More Students More Parking

Parking costs per stall increase dramatically with ramp parking versus ground level parking lots (this should be obvious, but I know a lot of people who don't realize it). If they decide to build ramps, parking prices are going to go up, possibly significantly. SDSU has enough access to build ground level lots on the edges of campus that ramps shouldn't be necessary, except possibly on the south edge of campus where real estate is at a premium and the room for expansion isn't there. Even then, I'd be surprised to see a ramp built. I for one am interested to see the updates to the master plan this summer when completed. I wonder if any major changes will be made with plans for the new capital investment campaign moving forward.

[filbert]

Re: More Students More Parking

Parking costs per stall increase dramatically with ramp parking versus ground level parking lots (this should be obvious, but I know a lot of people who don't realize it). If they decide to build ramps, parking prices are going to go up, possibly significantly. SDSU has enough access to build ground level lots on the edges of campus that ramps shouldn't be necessary, except possibly on the south edge of campus where real estate is at a premium and the room for expansion isn't there. Even then, I'd be surprised to see a ramp built. I for one am interested to see the updates to the master plan this summer when completed. I wonder if any major changes will be made with plans for the new capital investment campaign moving forward.

I am inclined to think that (i.e. "I could be wrong but . . . ") you could probably buy out a couple of blocks between Sixth St. and Eighth St. adjacent to the campus and turn them into parking lots more cheaply than you could build a parking ramp with the same number of parking stalls.

[State_fan]

Re: More Students More Parking

I am inclined to think that (i.e. "I could be wrong but . . . ") you could probably buy out a couple of blocks between Sixth St. and Eighth St. adjacent to the campus and turn them into parking lots more cheaply than you could build a parking ramp with the same number of parking stalls.

For the fun of speculation, you are probably right. A google brings up a 300 stall ramp in stillwater, mn that cost $6.5M:
http://www.startribune.com/local/east/19210319.html

THats >$20k per stall...

Property values in Brookings are too low for anything like that.

My guess, build lots on property already owned (i.e., up north), and run shuttle busses to the south side if necessary.

[91jack]

Re: More Students More Parking

Not that I'm saying you are complaning JimmyJack but I get really tired of those who constantly complain about parking at SDSU. If someone wanted to do a worthless study of quality parking on college campuses SDSU would rate very well. Space is a luxury on our campus that many other campuses don't have. Granted new parking spaces might mean a couple of extra minutes to one's walk each day we should all feel fortunate we have ample space for people to park.

As far as buses, ramps, etc., we don't need them as far as I'm concerned. As it stands now you can walk anywhere on campus under 10 minutes. We can continue to lay large flat parking spaces on our outer edges like the new one that just went up east of the Performing Arts center.

Lastly, I was recently down in Phoenix, AZ and someone was telling me about the insane fees charged at Arizona State University. It cost this person $900/year for a parking space that still required them to walk over half-mile to get where they wanted to go. Considering most of our parking passes are less than $100/year I think most of us should feel fortunate that parking at SDSU could be much worse.

I'm waiting to see what happens with the parking, too. I liked the way it was but the way it is now, isn't so bad. If SDSU just buys land to build lots, most of that will be on the east edge. I think they should have shuttle busses if they do that. When you park 3/4 of a mile from your office, it's a long walk(in winter). There will be people trying to find a closer spot and be late for work/class. I know most people will plan ahead but getting there 20-30 minutes early to get there in time isn't fun.
I'm waiting for winter. They'll have to keep up all the extra space better than they do now. I'm sure that somebody will slip, break a leg and sue the University. It's their job to keep those things clean. The further east you go, the more the wind will make drifts on the sidewalks. I know somebody who slipped in the parking lot and sued them. I don't know how it turned out(I hope the University won) but that stuff happens.
You are comparing SDSU to ASU. ASU has 65,000 students. I would assume that over 5 times the enrollment makes parking harder. The east lots are well over 1/2 mile from the west side/heart(maybe) of campus.
I know somebody that has a reserved spot. I'm glad that the prices went up significantly on those. If they don't want to worry about a spot they should pay for it. There was somebody parking in their reserved spot 2 days in a row. The 1st day they had somebody call UPD but UPD said that they had to call themselves. They called UPD but UPD didn't get over there to give them a ticket. The next day, they called UPD again but there was no ticket or towing.
A couple years ago, somebody parked in another persons spot. The UPD told that person that the student will leave after their class gets out. This lady should just park somewhere else. The lady told UPD that it's illegal for her to park anywhere else.
Sorry about the rant but the reserved spot thing irritates some of my friends. They say you can park in loading/unloading zones or reserved spots all day and even after it's called in UPD does nothing.
Anyway; if SDSU doesn't allow parking on campus, that will mean many more parking spots will be needed. I think they should leave things as they are. This way most people only have a few blocks to walk not 1 mile.

[JimmieTuba]

Re: More Students More Parking

I did a study for one of my ME classes on the parking and busing at SDSU. They wanted to do routes in town to bring students to campus and run shuttles on campus. Expect all the interior lots to be shut down in the next 10 years. The road running through campus will be for deliveries and emergancy vehicles only. I never had problems walking across campus. I lived out in Bailey and walked to Cruthers and AgEng both semesters. Students and employess just need to not be lazy and get use to walking. Even a shuttle bus won't drop you off at the door.

[SD-STATE]

Re: More Students More Parking

I did a study for one of my ME classes on the parking and busing at SDSU. They wanted to do routes in town to bring students to campus and run shuttles on campus. Expect all the interior lots to be shut down in the next 10 years. The road running through campus will be for deliveries and emergancy vehicles only. I never had problems walking across campus. I lived out in Bailey and walked to Cruthers and AgEng both semesters. Students and employess just need to not be lazy and get use to walking. Even a shuttle bus won't drop you off at the door.

I agree, in my days I actually started to enjoy the walks, except during December through February. Pull the hood up and keep your head down, the windchill was brutal at times.

[Hammersmith]

Re: More Students More Parking

Just a silly question, but does Brookings have the geology for tunnels? They don't work well in Fargo for a variety of reasons(flooding, clay soil compresses unevenly, fairly high water table), but I've always thought they'd be nice in the winter and on rainy days. We won't talk about the price, though.

[JimmyJack]

Re: More Students More Parking

Just a silly question, but does Brookings have the geology for tunnels? They don't work well in Fargo for a variety of reasons(flooding, clay soil compresses unevenly, fairly high water table), but I've always thought they'd be nice in the winter and on rainy days. We won't talk about the price, though.

Brookings is basically a slough. The water table is very high. It's more feasible to build a dome over the entire campus.

[91jack]

Re: More Students More Parking

Just a silly question, but does Brookings have the geology for tunnels? They don't work well in Fargo for a variety of reasons(flooding, clay soil compresses unevenly, fairly high water table), but I've always thought they'd be nice in the winter and on rainy days. We won't talk about the price, though.

There are some tunnels on campus already. They are the "steam tunnels". I've been in a couple of them and they are dark and dirty. They aren't made to be walked in. They might flood(they weren't when I was in them) but if a tornado hits, we are completely safe.

[jackmd]

Re: More Students More Parking

Brookings is basically a slough. The water table is very high. It's more feasible to build a dome over the entire campus.

Its basically one big slough all around Brookings/Volga/Madison. Unless you are on the Couteau its only 600-900ft above sea level or less. I know there were/are some steam tunnels running around campus. At the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN we had tunnels going every where. I think they are at least 1200ft above sea level buy very close to the Mississippi river valley. Water was a small problem but the tunnels were nice. They basically have a whole town underground in Rochester.

Now, I'm no geologist so someone a lot smarter than me will do a much better job answering the question about tunnels.