Emma Dejong

As of next fall, about 360 parking spaces will be added to the current 7,200 on campus.

A major contribution to this will be the lot being built south of the Electrical Engineering and Computer Science building and Crothers Engineering Hall. The university purchased the land from several individual property owners, and 300 spaces will be added.

“With this new lot going in, it provides a great opportunity for students to park on the south side of campus,” said Tim Goldammer, former Students’ Association senator.

Another 60 spaces will open up in the lot by Yeager Hall, as the current construction will have been completed.

Other changes will be occurring in the future as well, although they will be later in the 2010-2011 school year. Motor Pool Complex, which is currently located north of the Agricultural Heritage Museum, will be moved to the far north side of campus, near the Jackrabbit Softball Field.

“Motor Pool will be moving to the north end of campus, and with that comes new parking lots on the west side of campus,” Goldammer said.

Jim Weiss, Facilities and Services project manager, said this move will add about 100 spaces. Also, the lot next to the Dykhouse Student-Athlete Center will open, adding another 100 spaces. There is not an official time frame for these two projects, but Weiss said that for the motor pool relocation, they still need to develop a construction schedule, and for the Dykhouse Student-Athlete Center lot, it is “depending on the funding.”

Once built, the lot by the Dykhouse Student-Athlete Center is going to be a commuter lot, which may help the football team. Also, Goldammer said it has a possibility of hosting game-related parties.

“There is potential for tailgating there, which has positive and negative attributes,” Goldammer said.

Other minor changes will be made, which includes making Jackrabbit Drive a one-way going west. Changing the lot by Waneta Hall to a reserved lot is also being discussed.

The main focus of the university is to limit the amount of driving within the campus.

“We don’t want traffic to flow through campus,” Goldammer said. “We want it to flow around campus.”