The empty space at Lomas and Yale boulevards is going from a lot of dirt to a lot of concrete.
UNM began construction Monday to convert the Bureau of Business and Economic Research parking lot, or J lot, to a parking structure for 800 vehicles. The structure is set to be completed by fall 2010.
Those who have J and C lot passes will park in T or G lot during the construction, according to UNM Today.
A statement written by a group of UNM Parking and Transportation Services representatives said the structure may create more traffic in the surrounding area, but only temporarily.
“Utilizing traffic engineering studies, the structure was designed to be as functionally unobtrusive as possible while mitigating the overall amount of traffic congestion,” according to the statement. “On opening, it may take a short while for people to get used to the new traffic patterns created by the structure, but we think this will just be a short-term concern.”
The structure will cost roughly $17 million to build, and the hourly fee is projected to be $1.75.
Spruce Park Neighborhood Association President Valerie St. John said she is concerned about increased traffic on Lomas Boulevard. She said UNM should consider different forms of parking and transportation, instead of building a parking structure that will bring more vehicles to the main campus area.
“I think UNM needs to encourage other forms of transportation,” St. John said. “If you really study development of other large universities, there is a better system. It’s not necessary to park right there on campus within walking distance. When I went to college, I had to park in a facility and take a shuttle bus in, but that was fine.”
PATS representatives said the new structure does not aim to discourage alternative transportation, but is a solution to immediate problems.
“The new parking structure is principally a solution to a specific, immediate and critical parking issue and will exist as a functioning element of PATS’ overall parking and transportation strategy,” according to the statement. “It does not represent any one, singular trend within our policy, working rather, only as part of a cohesive whole.”
St. John said traffic from the structure could prevent ambulances from quickly entering University Hospital, just east of Yale Boulevard.
“I was down there the other day around 5 o’clock and the traffic was backed up,” St. John said. “There was an ambulance, and I was thinking, ‘I hope this person isn’t in really critical condition, because it might be a while before they can get to the emergency room.’”
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Graduate student Sara Abercrombie said the parking structure could benefit students who are running late for class or don’t want to take shuttle busses to main campus from other lots. She said she parks in the visitor structure at least once a month, even though she has a South Lot pass.
“I park in the structure, because when I drive to school and I have my baby with me, I don’t feel comfortable taking him on the bus,” Abercrombie said.
Abercrombie said commuting from her home in Santa Fe every day could be easier if the Rail Runner was more accessible to UNM students. She said it isn’t possible to take the train because of her night classes.
“I wish that UNM would work more in conjunction with the Rail Runner so that the later night classes would be accommodated,” Abercrombie said. “I can’t take the Rail Runner to UNM because my class that I teach gets out at 6:30 p.m., and the last train up to Santa Fe is at 6:30 p.m.”
She said on-campus parking will be popular with students, whether it is in a structure or on a lot.
