Amid several construction projects on a changing St. Thomas campus, the lack of parking has affected many students’ daily lives, especially commuter students, leading some to “regret buying a pass” at all.
Brady Hall renovations have closed Lot B, which is between Flynn and Morison Hall, to students and staff for the remainder of the 2021-22 academic year. Lot A will also be closed until 2023 due to St. John Vianney College Seminary construction.
“I always have to leave my apartment at least an hour before classes start so I can find parking,” junior commuter student Abby Gustafson said. “If I leave less time than that, I’m scrambling to get to class on time.”
A major sore spot for students is the price of a St. Thomas parking permit compared with the benefits it provides. The current rate for a commuter permit is $125 per semester, or $225 per year.
Sophomore commuter student Jack Moore purchased a commuter permit for the 2022 spring semester and is unhappy with his decision.
“I regret buying a pass, I shouldn’t have done it,” Moore said. “Most days I’m just parking in the street.”
However, finding a spot in the surrounding neighborhoods presents its own challenges. While some street parking is free, much of it is permit only and permits are only sold to residents of the neighborhoods. Therefore, students such as Moore still have to hunt to find a place to park.
Despite Moore’s grievances, the St. Thomas Parking Services website explains that purchasing a parking permit does not guarantee a parking spot. Sophomore commuter student Kelsey Latterell said this was the reason she decided not to purchase a permit.
“Considering that even having a parking pass that I paid for wouldn’t guarantee me getting close to campus, I decided to save the money,” Latterell said.
Parking and Transportation Program Manager Diana Kaardal said the amount of parking spaces is not the problem because there are around 3,000 parking spots on campus.
“It’s a misconception that a lot of people have that there’s not a lot of parking on campus,” Kaardal said. “Most of the parking is on South Campus, and there’s plenty of it.”
Purchasing a commuter parking permit grants access to the Anderson Parking Facility and all yellow-marked surface lots on the St. Paul campus.
However, Kaardal recommended students use the Anderson Parking Facility, rather than hunting for spots on the construction-ridden North Campus.
“It’s less time to walk from (South Campus) than it is driving around trying to find a spot,” Kaardal said.
However some students, such as sophomore commuter Gracelyn Riedel, still struggle to make this option work.
“The other day we were 10 minutes late to our class. We had to park on the fourth level of the parking garage and then walk all the way back,” Riedel said.
Kaardal said Parking Services is aware of the parking issues students are having.
“We know that there are people who can’t find a place to park and end up missing class and we hate that those things happen,” Kaardal said.
Currently, Parking Services has no plans to increase on-campus parking because there is no feasible way to expand parking due to St. Thomas’ landlocked location, according to Kaardal.
Instead, Parking Services is hopeful students will find alternative, sustainable ways of commuting, such as biking or riding the Metro Transit System.
“I think it’s anticipated that parking is going to be short,” Kaardal said. “We’re hoping that people will, for sustainability reasons as well as capacity, look at finding other ways to get to campus.”
Derek Badger can be reached at badg7629@stthomas.edu.