500 parking spaces go unused every day

By Amanda Hickey
Senior Staff Writer

Approximately 300 parking tickets have been issued so far this semester, according to campus police Chief David Helton. Most of these tickets were issued for no permit and improper parking violations, Helton said.

"We kept statistics for the first full week of the semester and the numbers indicated that we had somewhere between 500 and 565 unused available spaces each day. Most of these available spaces can be located in lots 11, 14, 18, 19, 24 and 26," Helton said.

Avoiding receiving a ticket is simple.

Photo by Adam Fenwick Approximately 300 parking tickets have been issued so far this semester according to campus police Chief David Helton.

"Register your vehicle, park in a legal parking space in a lot that is designated for your permit, and park in general areas when your designated lot is filled to capacity," Helton said.

"We do not have a lack of parking spaces, but we are limited in the number of spaces that are as close and convenient as some people would prefer," he said.

The UNCP Traffic Control Board studies traffic and parking issues on a monthly basis throughout the year. The board makes recommendations to the Chancellor about any changes.

"There were not any changes from our fall semester to the beginning of the spring, but ongoing construction projects will bring about changes in the near future," he said.

Lot 6 will be available when the contractors at Moore Hall finish.

"This will be a faculty staff lot, but it will help to ease congestion for every one on that portion of campus," Helton said.

The new classroom construction project is "not scheduled to affect students, faculty or staff but it is likely that the project will affect our 'overflow' parking area north of the Dial Building," he said.

The Fieldhouse project will impact parking in the far west end of lot 24, "but again this is going to affect an area that is not generally used at this time," he said.

"I always tell myself that our university is so prosperous to have what people perceive to be a parking problem. Wouldn't it be terrible if we always had an over abundance of parking problems?" Chief Helton asked.