New Construction: Parking Garage

With a growing campus and a need to add more parking spaces for current students, faculty and staff as well as for visitors, K-State began building their first on campus parking garage, August 2007.

The project is expected to be complete by December 2008 and the total cost of the garage is $15.9 million. The project is being funded by the sale of revenue bonds that will be repaid through K-State parking system revenue.

The new facility being built south of the K-State Student Union will have 1,384 parking stalls, whereas the original parking lot had approximately 400 spaces.

“This is a vibrant, busy area for the university, and the parking garage will add many new parking opportunities for employees, students and customers,” Gary Leitnaker, assistant vice president of human resources, said. “There will be approximately 400 stalls available for an annual fee for faculty and staff, 400-500 for an annual fee for students and another 400-500 for visitors, students and anyone else for an hourly fee. We are excited about adding additional parking in the central core of campus.”

While the parking garage is being built, K-State has implemented a shuttle service that provides services from the East Bramlage Coliseum lot to the Union on days classes are in session. The shuttle operates between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. and provides service at seven minute intervals. Additionally, a shuttle bus will provide service from the West Stadium lot to the Union during evening hours.

During construction the flow of traffic around the Union also had to be altered to allow the construction company full access to the parking lot. Students, staff members and faculty had to reroute where they usually parked, but it was necessary to get to the final product.

“Parking is a big issue for the campus and has been for a really long time,” Lydia Peele, student body president, said. “(The garage) has always been something we have talked about doing. We supported the construction of the garage two years ago in student senate and then it had to go through the faculty senate. From there they were able to take steps to start making plans for construction. It was definitely something that student senate had an intense debate about and we ended up supporting it.”

To Peele, it is important to have a student voice and to stay involved in what is going on around campus.

“I think it will help a lot, even though not everyone parks at the Union,” she said. “A lot of people will be parking there and it will free up parking everywhere else. It will be great for visitors, people coming for a campus visit or coming to see a play. I don’t think all of our problems will be solved, but it will help a lot.”

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-Melissa M. Taylor
New Student Services Intern