Parking Services has implemented new technology that provides a better understanding of how many parking stalls are available at any given time on the UNMC/Nebraska Medical Center campus.
The new technology specifically enables Parking Services to more accurately count cars in Lots 1, 2, 5, 6, 17 and 50. These are the largest lots and include patient garages. Electronic signs, similar to those in some airports and business garages, are planned for Lots 1, 2 and 50, to show motorists the available spaces on each level.
The technology coincides with comments made during nine focus groups sessions with UNMC and Nebraska Medicine faculty, staff and students this past fall. Attendees said the ability to better monitor campus parking lots and their usage throughout the day would benefit patients and employees, as well as provide important data for future parking-related decisions.
That idea, along with their other comments and suggestions, was reviewed by the Transportation and Parking Committee and then shared with leadership in an effort to improve parking across campus.
Campus leaders acknowledge that parking is and will remain a challenge, especially given the spring opening of the Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center and construction of the Global Center for Advanced Interprofessional Learning.
The new technology will yield improvements, said Robert Jennings, senior manager of Materials Management, as well as impact the ticketing process for parking violations. As parking enforcers transition to electronic tickets, the required paperwork will decrease and the level of patrol and enforcement will increase. That, alone, should provide better enforcement of existing lots, and may yield stalls in lots that previously were overcrowded.
The new technology also will allow Parking Services to provide better customer service, Jennings said. Within the next several months, motorists will be able to buy and renew parking permits online, appeal parking tickets online and have their permits mailed to the address of their choice.
Shuttles, cited often during the focus group sessions, were considered, but determined cost prohibitive. Instead, colleagues are encouraged to consider TravelSmart options such as carpooling, busing, biking or walking. Approximately 1,400 people have signed up for TravelSmart, which eliminates hundreds of cars parking on campus each day, reduces traffic congestion and helps the environment.
The addition of Metro’s first Bus Rapid Transit line, planned for Dodge Street and connecting major destinations from Westroads Mall to the Old Market, will provide further options for employees when service begins in late 2018.
I would like the Metro Bus Rapid Transit line to run to Village Pointe. I believe quite a few more people would use it.
I find it interesting that we're supposed to be heading toward a 'paperless' system and now parking is going to be mailing permits to thousands of employees. Hmmm…envelopes, postage, etc. along with some kind of note inside (I assume) the envelope. Seems very wasteful to me…at least an on campus mailing envelope could be reused.
"Shuttles, cited often during the focus group sessions, were considered, but determined cost prohibitive.". As one who participated in the focus groups and felt this might be a good solution, I am exceptionally disappointed in this decision. I opted NOT to buy a student parking pass this semester since, during the entire last semester, I was able to park in a student parking lot <10 times. This problem is not going away, and "carpooling, busing, biking or walking", while preferable, are simply not realistic options for many of us. UNMC needs to face the music, bite the bullet, and put some money toward this issue.
Any idea when the parking website will be up and running again? I was on the wait list for Lot 4 and was told this lot is now closed…with no option of moving to another list. Parking services let me know they site was down (that day) and when I asked when it'd be up and running I got no response, it still is not on their site. Thanks!
I would take advantage of the Bus Rapid Transit line if Village Pointe would be a destination.