By Christina Garza The campus’ main parking lot will receive an upgrade and overhaul, campus officials said earlier this week. The project is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 30.
The work, requested by students and faculty, grew from a growing frustration from driving over tire-hammering ruts in the entrance and exit of the gravel parking lot for the past year. Rain and use were cited as the main contributing factors.
Students say they have been avoiding parking in the gravel lot altogether.
“I prefer parking in the pavement parking lot so I don’t mess up my car,” said psychology junior Brandy Weitzel. “I don’t want to pop my tires or get my car dirty.””I normally park in the pavement part of the parking lot, but when there is no parking, it’s my last resort,” said communications senior Melissa Sanchez.”The school is growing and with so many students and faculty driving through it everyday. It’s only making the holes bigger and harder for some cars to drive through it.”The university plans to fix the gravel parking lot entrance and exit so it is more convenient for the university community.
“It has been brought to our attention that the holes in the gravel parking lot need to be fixed,” said Marshall Lasswell, director of facilities and physical plant. “The school just approved a $6576.90 project to fix it.”
The university previously filled the holes in the gravel parking lot about a year ago, however, it was only a temporary fix.
Lasswell said the plan for the project is to scarify and excavate both the entrance and exit of the parking lot. A cement stabilizing base material will be compacted down to keep it from developing ruts again.
“I think that if the school fixes the gravel parking lot it will be convenient for students and staff and they will want to use it,” Sanchez said. “It won’t be a last resort when there is no parking.”
According to Lasswell, once the new campus at 410 and Zarzamora opens in the fall of 2011, parking congestion at the Gillette campus will be alleviated.
The project is expected to be a long-term fix and should hopefully solve the parking problem.
“We have the ability to complete timely temporary fixes should further problems arise,” Lasswell said.
Mark Jamison contributed to this report.
