Parking rates and lots top forum discussions

Parking rates will increase and UNMC will purchase land for two additional parking lots south of campus, medical center officials announced at employee forums on Monday.

Parking rates will go up $1 to $2 in almost all employee lots and $10 in doctors’ lots later this summer.

Parking rates will raise $1 to $2 in almost all employee lots and $10 in doctors’ lots on Aug.1, said Deb Thomas, associate vice chancellor for business and finance. (See a map of campus parking lots and their rates and see the sidebar for more parking information.)

The parking crunch

Meanwhile, Thomas said, the two new parking lots will help UNMC replace more than 1,200 parking spots that it will lose because of:

• Construction of the new cancer center campus, which will necessitate razing of the current Patient/Visitor Parking Structure (767 stalls) at 44th and Emile streets; and
  
• The future closing of the employee parking structure (506 stalls) at 42nd and Emile streets, as the structure is aging.

The new lots

One property — bounded by Pacific Street on the south, 39th Street on the east, Mason Street on the north, and 40th Street on the west — will provide 536 parking spots.

The other is directly north of other property and is bounded by Mason Street on the south, 39th Street on the east, Marcy Street on the north, and 40th Street on the west. It will provide 453 parking spots.

UNMC is in talks to purchase a third property for more parking in the area, Thomas said.

Construction schedule

Demolition of the Patient/Visitor Parking Structure is tentatively set for the spring. It is hoped that the new parking lots will be completed by this time. Lot No. 4 will close after the new parking lots open.

Once constructed, plans call for shuttles to run to the new lots, which will only be for employees who work day shifts. Information about shuttles and parking assignments will be released as plans develop, Thomas said.

Also at the forums

Other forum news included:

• Construction on the cancer center project is scheduled to start in 2013 and be completed in June 2016; and
  
• Employee health insurance premiums will not go up in 2012, however, rates may go up $1 to $3 a month in January to help fund the Employee Plus One initiative that will expand eligibility for participation in the university’s benefits program to include employees’ same-sex and opposite-sex partners.