Parking, Part 3: Saving money on parking

Riding the BUS? The shuttle will bear you to campus.

Editor's note: This is the third of a three-part series on campus parking. The Police and Public Safety Department reports that the 2012-2013 parking permits have arrived and are available at the department's Tallent Hall headquarters. The cost for the permits is available on the university web site. Current permits do not expire until Friday, Aug. 31.

When it comes to parking, no one wants to pay more than they have to. The University of Wisconsin-Parkside Police and Public Safety Department, the department that regulates on-campus parking, understands that. But, like every other campus in the UW System, UW-Parkside must charge for the service. 

 "There is no free parking" at any UW System campus, said the department's Pam LeClaire-Towle, who studied the rates at all four-year campuses.

However, UW-Parkside students do have a money-saving on-campus parking alternative: the Tallent Hall lot.

 "It's $100 this year [for a Tallent-only permit, regular student permits are $145] said LeClaire-Towle. "It's really a better place to park because in winter or if it's raining, you can sit in your car and wait for the shuttle to come. The shuttle drops you off at the main entrances to the university and you don't have to worry about looking for a closer parking spot."

LeClaire-Towle reiterated the $100 Tallent Hall parking permits are for UW-Parkside students only.

Another consideration when parking is safety.

 "It's definitely safer to park in our lots," said dispatcher Fatima Marquez. The campus call boxes, topped with those highly visible blue lights, summon help quickly.

"Press a button; you are automatically connected to our dispatcher; we'll respond. Our officers also respond to the call boxes," Marquez stated. "As soon as they're activated, the officers are able to hear them anywhere on campus on their radios so they can respond quickly."

There is another way to save on parking costs: take the bus. Kenosha Transit runs a regular route to campus. With the start of the new academic year, the Kenosha bus will stop at The Rita, where a new bus shelter will be installed, and at Tallent Hall.

The new academic year also brings new service from Racine to campus provided by Wisconsin Coach.

"[Wisconsin Coach] normally comes down Route 32 from Milwaukee to Kenosha," said Police Chief Jim Heller. "They will make a jog to campus?going north twice and south twice during the day?and stop at Tallent Hall."

That service starts in early September. Watch Ranger Today for the bus schedule.

The UW-Parkside shuttle will continue to make two stops at Taylor Avenue and Meachem Road each school day during fall and spring semester. This allows commuter students to ride Racine's Belle Urban System buses to the McDonald's restaurant at that intersection and take the shuttle to campus. Shuttle hours and other parking information are available on the university web site.

• 
• 
• 

ABOUT THIS STORY:

Story Status: Archived
Publish date: 8/9/2012

MORE UW-P NEWS:

All current news releases
News archive
Ranger Today home