STAFF ED: Campus parking frustrates all, but can be alleviated

Parking.

Do you have a headache yet?

The Daily Nebraskan issued our first staff editorial dealing with the perpetual parking problem on March 18, 1930. "…it is a problem that should be remedied for the convenience of a busy student body," the editors concluded.

The situation was so bad in 1948 that more than 3,000 students rioted and marched first on the police station, then city hall, then all the way to the Capitol where they staged a sit-in while student representatives conferred with the governor. Riot police were called, and tear gas used on the crowd. "Tears, Laughter as Mob Cavorts" read a May 8, 1948, headline.

In 1977, 3,732 signed a petition stating they would rather walk than pay the $20 increase in parking fees, from $25 to $45 a year. The petition succeeded in reducing the increase by half.

The Parking Inventory Summary for 2007-2008 lists the total number of spaces as 15,879, shared between 23,573 students and 7,754 faculty, staff, administrators and graduate student assistants (UNL Fact Book 2008-2009). That's barely one space for every two people on campus, not to mention visitors.

In addition to the sheer lack, there is also the expense. A student resident or commuter pass costs $480 this year. A garage pass is $600 for a year, and a reserved spot (which isn't actually reserved) is $924. The cheapest by far is the perimeter permit, still a whopping $348 (equivalent to the price of 348 Tuesday night beers at Duffy's).

So yes, the situation is bad, and if there is one thing we can learn from the past 79 years, it's that it isn't going to get any better. So what can we do about it?

Students have five alternatives: Carpool, walk, bike, motorcycle/scooter or bus.

If you live on campus, we strongly urge you to leave your car at home. Find someone, or two or three someones, from your town to carshare while you are here and ride home with for holidays.

Students, faculty and staff can find someone to carpool with via the UNL Parking Web site, parking.unl.edu/carpool.shtml. You can also calculate how much money you'll save by doing so.

If you don't live on campus, then try to live near campus. Downtown and the Haymarket are swinging places to live if you can afford it, but North Bottoms, South Bottoms and Capitol Environs are cheaper. If you live within a mile of campus, walk.

Or better yet, buy a bicycle. Garage sale season isn't over yet, and you can find a decent bike for between $10 and $50 easily. Even if it doesn't work, it's worth the investment. The Bike Shop in the Campus Recreation Center on City Campus is open every day from noon to 6:00 p.m. and will fix up your ride on the cheap.

Motorcycles and scooters are becoming more popular because they park on campus for free. Currently, there are 197 motorcycle spaces split between city and east campus, but just one less automobile space equals two motorcycle spaces. If we can get enough students to switch, it could go a long way to relieve congestion, even during the less hospitable months of the year.

In case of rain, there is always your bus pass. You already have it, free thanks to student fees. StarTran busses might not be the best, but the more people who ride them, the better they will be. Plus, waiting at the bus stop and letting someone else do the driving gives you time to catch up on your assigned reading, since you were out spending the money you saved on a parking pass at Duffy's the other night.