Trying to find a parking spot in one of UW-Platteville’s commuter lots has become an increasingly difficult task as more and more people try to cram into a limited number of spaces. However, officials say there is not as big of a problem as some people would think.

Photograph by Anthony Bauer

Chief of Campus Police Scott Marquardt said that from Sept. 1, 2009 through March 19, 2010, 3,479 campus parking permits were sold to students, staff and faculty members. Semester-long parking passes cost $95 for students and $135 for faculty and staff members. Marquardt said there are a total of 2,859 parking stalls on campus; that number includes commuter parking, staff and faculty parking, visitor parking and residence hall parking. Marquardt said that while this would seem to indicate that there are not enough parking stalls on campus, he does not believe that is an issue.

“People need to remember that even though it looks like more parking passes are sold than there are parking stalls, a large portion of those parking stalls are for commuters,” Marquardt said. “Commuters are not on campus all day long. They come and go, which opens parking stalls for other commuters.”

Marquardt said the real problem is students and staff parking illegally in the lots. During September 2009; 801 parking citations were issued; 384 of these citations were issued for parking in a lot without a valid permit; 142 citations were issued for parking in a lot between the hour of 2 and 6 a.m.; 124 citations were issued for parking in a staff parking lot without a staff permit; 60 citations were issued for parking meter violations. The remaining 91 citations we issued for violations such as: blocking a roadway, staff parking in a student lot, 15 minute parking violation, parking in a fire lane and parking in a prohibited area. Marquardt said that the month of September is when the most citations are issued every year.

“There is a learning curve involved every year,” Marquardt said. “It takes about a month for students to realize that we mean business and parking regulations will be enforced.”
According to the UW-P Web site, parking is enforced in commuter and staff parking lots from 8 a.m. through 4 p.m.

Marquardt said that between the hours of 2 and 6 a.m. no parking is allowed in any lots on campus except for residence hall lots, but the majority of over-night citations are issued for parking-meter violations. Marquardt said he has not been on campus long enough to have seen a major change in citations, but his officers have told him they are on the rise.

“One of them said it is the worst they have ever seen,” Marquardt said.

He admitted that if the trend continues, the department might need to take more drastic measures.

“I’m going to be honest, we are considering raising fines to encourage more compliance,” Marquardt said. “Our goal isn’t to hand out citations. When he have 100 percent compliance and zero citations, that is a victory for us. A $10 citation does not seem to be deterring people, so if we have to raise the fines to get more people to follow the rules we will.”

Marquardt said that the money made from parking passes and citations goes towards parking lot maintenance. Parking lot maintenance includes plowing, replacing light bulbs from parking lot lights, painting parking slots on the pavement and debt service, which is paying for the usage of parking lots around campus.

When asked if the campus had any plans to expand parking to include more stalls, Marquardt said that they are always looking into those types of solutions, but that there are no plans for expansion at this time.

“There is adequate parking on campus, but it may not be as close as people may want,” Marquardt said. “I realize that people want to park close at the last minute, I have been in that situation, but you have to allow the extra five minutes to park legally.”