October 10, 2007
Members Present: Chris Allen, Brendon Chastain, Forest Denger, Reggie Houser, Michael Landman, David Martinson, Bill Mock, Marilyn Rogers, Kevin Santos, Gary Smith, Susan Stiers, Colleen Williams and Diane Worrell. Also present were Michael Oakes representing UAPD and Elaine Quinn, secretary.
The minutes of the May 15, 2007 minutes were approved. Gary Smith reviewed the role of the committee and some general parking information for new members.
Report on Current Parking Status Gary Smith
1. This past summer two entrance drives in lot 56 were repaired.
2. The center of lot 59 was reconstructed.
3. The Board of Trustees approved the Garland Avenue Garage project. The plan is to break ground this summer and open in January 2010 with approximately 1500 parking spaces. The new garage may also contain retail space. The estimated cost is $25.4 million.
4. The Razorback Ticket Office and Foundation moved to Baum Stadium so that parking area around the old ticket office is now lot 74 containing two Faculty/Staff and two Reserved parking spaces with the remainder of the spaces designated as Student parking.
5. The west side of Arkansas Avenue was metered in August. Lot 34 will close in December for construction of the Alpha Omicron Pi Sorority so the parking meters in lot 34 will be eliminated.
6. Lot 53 at West Avenue Annex will be metered for night and weekend parking.
7. The expansion joints in the Harmon Avenue Garage were replaced this summer.
8. About one-third of the campus parking lots were painted this summer.
9. The Harmon Avenue Parking Facility became the Harmon Avenue Garage so the signs were all changed.
10. Installed store front windows on level 7 and 8 on the west side of the Harmon Avenue Garage to keep the rain out of the elevators.
11. Transit purchased four used 40 buses from Jefferson Parish, Louisiana.
12. Transit also purchased two new Gillig 40 low floor buses. These buses have a four camera video system and a stop announcement system. The engines are more fuel efficient and produce much cleaner exhaust emissions. These cost $305k each with 80% being federally funded.
13. A new paratransit van was also purchased.
14. A new bus schedule was also implemented. Now buses depart GTF at the same times every weekday.
15. A bus schedule scroller was installed in the Garland Transit Facility showing all the bus scheduled departure times.
16. The new Purple Route serves Baum Stadium, Crowne and Southern View Apartments. The Orange route was merged with the Brown and 56 Route to make a bus available for the Purple Route.
17. We currently have 11,252 total parking spaces on campus. That number breaks down to 2157 Reserved, 1700 Resident Reserved, 1543 Faculty/Staff, 3436 Student, 403 Remote, 105 Motorcycle, 247 ADA, 60 Official Vehicle, 1307 Meters, 21 Loading Zones, 55 Visitor, 54 STM and 74 24 hour spaces.
Old Business
Scooters parking and driving on sidewalks
Arkansas law states that scooters under 50cc cannot be driven on sidewalks. Scooters should also have a permit so the owner can be identified. UA parking regulations allow scooters to be parked in bicycle racks within 50 feet of a roadway. The scooter must be pushed to the rack. More and more scooters are being driven on campus creating a safety issue. Housing is having problems with so many trying to park around the residence halls and being chained to trees and handrails. A motion was made stating, After a reasonable amount of time for outreach and education, the policy requiring scooters to display scooter parking permits and the state law prohibiting riding on sidewalks will be more aggressively enforced, The motion passed.
New Business
Election of Chair Gary asked for nominations. Kevin Santos was the only one nominated. There was a motion for nominations to cease. This was seconded and the motion passed. The motion to approve Kevin as chair passed.
Everyone is to send their best days and times to Elaine to help set up a schedule for future committee meetings.
The meeting was adjourned.