UF's new $17 million parking complex will open its gates Aug. 24 to UF students, faculty and staff.
While the 950-space garage will be available to all commuting Gators, it should mostly relieve parking for those who use the Health Science Center, the College of Veterinary Medicine and the Office of Information Technology, which are all nearby.
"I'm not sure if the parking problem will ever be relieved," said Scott Fox, director of Transportation and Parking Services. "But with the opening of the new garage, a lot of spaces will be added."
The Southwest Parking Garage Complex will have six stories and will contain the widest parking spots on campus. Its construction is intended to bring the number of decals issued closer to the number of spaces available.
Because there are only 24,000 spaces, only about two-thirds of the 36,000 drivers who are issued decals can park on campus at any given time.
Of these spaces, 19,821 are accessible to students, faulty and staff, while the remainder is reserved for visitor, delivery, service and emergency vehicles.
"We will always have a supply and demand challenge," Fox said. "But the garage will certainly help."
The Southwest Parking Garage Complex will include green, orange, blue, carpool and gated zones. It is not yet determined how many spaces will be reserved for each, and parking will not be available to students who live on campus.
The complex will also serve as the new home of UF's Transportation and Parking Services, with 9,000 square feet of office space.
Along with the increase in parking spaces, there will be a 10 percent hike in decal costs.
According to UF's Transportation and Parking Services Web site, a semester student commuter decal currently costs $72. An annual decal is $134.
UF Transportation and Parking Services does not receive funding from the university or state and relies solely on decal sales.
Because the university does not restrict the number of decals sold, fall sales' profit will likely cover the $20.7 million total price tag of the project.
"We are not in the business of turning a profit," Fox said. "We are in the business of breaking even."
The proximity of the garage to Ben Hill Griffin Stadium rouses another demand problem.
Although students and employees can gain weekday access to the garage, the transportation office has yet to decide whether the access will include the weekends during football season or be restricted to season ticketholders, Fox said.
The parking complex called for a 12-month construction phase, including six months in design, and is set to be completed on schedule.
"The project has been nothing but successful," he said. "It is a true win-win situation, especially for students."
