New plan to address 2013-14 parking challenges

Oakland University administrators have approved a parking plan for the 2013-14 academic year to address traffic and parking challenges brought on by ongoing construction projects on campus.

Members of the parking committee have been committed to finding the least disruptive arrangements possible. The university will not ask students, faculty or staff to park in off-campus lots.

The following measures will be in place only during the 2013-14 academic year:

• Lighted temporary parking lots will be created on the west side of the Upper Fields adjacent to P-11; just south of P-41 near the Police and Support Services building; and just west of P-37 near the corner of Pioneer Drive and Squirrel Road.
• Parking spaces will also be added in the P-1 main lot, the P-18 lot adjacent to O’Dowd Hall, and P-41.
• Overnight parking will be reserved in the P-5, P-11 and P-16 lots; in the Ann V. Nicholson Student Apartments lot; in the Matthews Court lots and in all covered levels of the P-29 parking structure.
• All OU trades vehicles will be parked near the Spencer Substation on campus rather than in main campus lots.
• All construction vehicles will be parked within construction sites or along Meadow Brook and Pioneer roads rather than in main campus lots.
• Two new buses will be added to the Bear Bus system, resulting in a total of six vehicles. New routes designed to improve the efficiency and convenience of temporary parking will be developed. Extensive information about the Bear Bus system is available at oakland.edu/bearbus.
• Oakland University Police Department and Facilities Management personnel will help facilitate traffic flow and parking during the first week of the new academic year.
• University staff and students will assist campus community members with parking and traffic questions in six strategically located information tents during the first week of the new academic year.
• Carpooling will be strongly encouraged, and some university staff may be eligible for work incentives by agreeing to park in the Meadow Brook Music Festival VIP lot, which will be serviced by the Bear Bus system. Additional information regarding this incentive will be distributed soon.