University Transportation & Parking Services is announcing several changes to its campus-wide parking policies and price structures, effective Sept. 1.
For the first time in three years, monthly permit fees for the Ellis Avenue garage and surface parking lots will be raised, to help offset the rising costs of operating and maintaining these facilities across campus.
Monthly permit fees will increase to $85 per month at the Ellis garage, as well as lots north of the Midway: Pierce, Judd, Maryland West, I-House, ATS, 5555, 5737 and Woodlawn.
Monthly fees will increase to $80 per month at lots south of the Midway, including Dorchester, Chapin, Edelstone, Kenwood, Kimbark, Mott, NGR, 1155, Law School, faculty apartments and Wells.
Monthly fees will remain the same at $175 for the Lexington lot.
Beginning Sept. 1, visitor parking fees at the structure at 55th Street and Ellis Avenue will now apply 24 hours a day. In order to accommodate patrons of nearby events, parking officials have made agreements that will provide complimentary evening and weekend parking for patrons of Court Theatre, members of the Smart Museum of Art and visitors to athletics events.
In addition to street parking, most campus lots are available to members of the campus community (with the exception of the Law lot on 60th Street) after 4 p.m. and weekends. Parking Services continues to offer free parking all day at the surface lot located at 60th and Stony Island Avenue.
”The nominal increase in the monthly parking rate, as well as the change to visitor accommodations at the Ellis structure, are intended to provide Parking Services with the means and resources needed to continue delivering quality services to the campus community,” said Theresa Brown, director of Transportation & Parking Services. She added the changes were developed in consultation with the Transportation and Parking committee, which includes representatives from the offices of the President, Provost and Dean of Students, as well as the Medical Center and Facilities Services.
The fee structure for parking citations issued on University lots also will change. While first-time offenders will receive a $30 fine, subsequent tickets for the same offense will accumulate in cost to $45 and $60 for second and third offenses, respectively.
Transportation & Parking Services continues to offer a range of transportation programs to support faculty, staff and students commuting to campus by alternative modes. Officials also encourage members of the University community to carpool and take advantage of discounted parking rates for two-person carpools ($40 to $42.50 per month) and three-person carpools (free).
For more information, visit http://safety-security.uchicago.edu/transportation or call the Parking office at 773-702-8969.
—Prof. Jacqueline Stewart
