UNIVERSITY MAY HAVE ANSWER TO PARKING

Southeast Missouri State University's proposal to build what it calls a park-and-ride facility may be just what is needed to ease parking problems and get students around campus without much hassle.

The university for years has tried to get students to ride shuttle buses that regularly run on city streets from a number of university commuter parking lots situated mostly on the edges of campus. But the students have been reluctant to use the shuttles, even when they park in university lots and have to walk quite a distance to classes. Many students also choose to park wherever they can find spaces on city streets closer to the main campus.

The school's plan is to construct a $12 million parking garage on an existing university parking lot just west of the Student Recreation Center, which is on the north side of campus. Plans are to use the hills of the existing lot to construct multiple parking levels below the entrance level on which cars also could park.

The lot on which the garage would be built can handle 700 vehicles right now. The garage would have approximately 1,800 parking spaces and would be designed for future expansion.

From the garage, students and faculty members could catch buses that would run every few minutes along an internal campus transitway that already is under construction. The buses would run near all the main buildings on campus, traveling along the transitway and not spending as much time on city streets as they now do.

The idea is to make parking in the new facility attractive, convenient and safe. University officials believe it would be well-used because of the convenience of buses coming and going every eight minutes or so, and serving all of the main campus buildings.

About 80 percent of the $12 million needed will be sought from the Federal Transit Authority and Missouri Department of Transportation. The university would pay the remaining 20 percent. Construction could begin next summer with completion sometime in 2003.

School officials point out that the below-ground facility would be considerably cheaper than a high-rise garage, and the school is fortunate to have found a spot suited for such a structure.

Increasing enrollment will continue to put demands on premium parking for students, and a garage that offers convenient access, safety, and fast and easy accessibility to shuttle buses may be just what the university needs.