Proposal: West Parking Improving

Introduction

We propose to expand the West and North parking lots of the UAA main campus to greatly reduce traffic congestion, to save time for students and staff, and to help decrease automobile accidents. Problem The UAA main campus is a commuter to more than 15, 000 students (Common data from UAA).

The countless number of vehicles commuting to and from campus creates traffic congestions and is desperately in need of more parking spaces. Lack of adequate parking space for students and staff have negative impacts:

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• Road rage. The survey given in 2008 to UAA students reported that frustration due to congested traffic resulted in unsafe driving practices. Much could have been prevented if there were enough parking spaces for the vehicles that enter campus parking.
• Tardiness. Delays due to finding parking space are direct consequence of students and staff being late for classes. Estimated time to find parking space may take up to 20 minutes (2008-UAA student’s survey). People usually experience high stress level due to frustration of finding parking space. Tardiness may have a direct effect on students’ performance in classes (University of Washington MDJ).
• Unauthorized use of parking. UAA students admitted to have used Providence Hospital, and Goose Lake parking due to lack of adequate parking spots on campus. This unauthorized use of parking is taking away the spots reserved for the hospital’s patient, and those reserved for recreational use in the park.
• Outrageous Parking Fees. The unanimous survey in 2008 for students showed concern over increased parking fees every semester, yet still not enough parking available. This is a “hot” topic next to book prices and spiking tuition. Student’s complaints are justified that if UAA is going to charge more for parking, then more parking spaces will also be required from the university.
• ER access. Traffic created by students and staff vehicles at the main campus has negative impact for hospital emergencies vehicles. UAA main campus is located across the Providence Hospital, and interfering with littering the Providence Drive with students and staff vehicles may be critical of saving someone’s life where minutes or even seconds are critical to one’s well being.
• Road safety. Students have reported and are concern about the pedestrian safety once they park the vehicles (2008 survey). There is no pedestrian pathway from the North and West Parking to campus buildings; walking is on the road. Concerns are mostly in wintertime, (fall and spring semesters) where icy and snowy roads, and poor visibility is a road hazard to moving vehicles and pedestrians.
• Vehicle accidents. Department of Transportations (DOT) ranks the Providence Drive in top five of hazardous locations. The proximity of UAA and Hospital at Providence Drive and congested traffic at this area is responsible for high amount of automobile accidents (according to US. DOT –Federal Highway Administration).

Objectives

To create a solution for improved parking at UAA and traffic congestion problems issues must:

• Include a solid development plan that would benefit students, staff, and the UAA. The students and staff would greatly appreciate adequate parking spaces for their vehicle. UAA would positively gain revenue from parking fees.
• Ensure that pedestrians’ pathways are easily accessible from parking, thus greatly reducing chance of someone being hit by a vehicle.
• Avoid new traffic congestions on Providence Drive due to parking construction.

Solution

There are several potential solutions to the problems outlined earlier in the proposal. These solutions are:

• Doing nothing
• Installing extra traffic lights
• Hiring an extra parking staff to coordinate traffic congestion
• Improving North and West Parking

Doing Nothing

This is the least effective solution to the existing problem. By doing nothing, we cannot improve parking issues desperately sought by many students and staffs. The use of unauthorized parking in the property of Providence Hospital and Goose Lake will likely continue.

Road rage will likely occur as it has. Issues of tardiness will continue if we do not take appropriate steps to solve it. By doing nothing we will not help to solve automobile accidents, impact road safety, or help with ER access (2008 survey, DOT).

Installing extra traffic lights

This next possible solution is to install extra traffic lights. This measure of safety and coordination of traffic would add benefit t a more regulated traffic flow, and improve the safety of the pedestrian’s crosswalks. According to Municipality of Anchorage (M. O. A), Traffic Department, Lance Wilber, said that the cost of installing traffic lights may be well over $700,000 per cross-section, depending on the location and construction plans involved. This solution seems ineffective because it does not solve the pedestrians’ safety concerns over the crossing from the parking area to the campus buildings, nor solve the lack of available parking space. This solution contributes to solving some traffic congestion at campus, but better solution is needed. In addition, M. O. A advised against installation of new traffic lights since there are already five in place at the Providence Drive.

Hiring an extra parking staff to coordinate traffic congestion

Hiring an extra parking staff could be a reasonable solution for traffic congestion at campus. This solution requires hiring of twelve individuals for North and West Parking, for coordinating traffic at the busiest time: mornings and late afternoon. The vehicles entering campus would be guided to available parking and pedestrians’ safety could be looked after. According to Parking Services, estimated cost for an extra staff and equipment on annual basis would amount to over half a million dollars.

However, this would not help eliminate vehicle traffic at Providence Drive; in fact, traffic congestion would likely be worse than it is now. Parking Services, advised against hiring an extra staff to help coordinate traffic due to lack of budget.

Improving North and West Parking

The best solution to the problems outlined earlier in the proposal is to improve the largest parking on main campus, which is the North, and West Parking. These hold the largest accommodation of parking lots, and are easily accessible from: Providence Drive, Lake Otis Parkway, and UAA Drive-Mallard Lane.

For its convenience of being accessible to the main campus and having close proximity to 13-UAA buildings, and short walking distance to other facilities, the North and West Parking is the best candidate and that needs improvement. The advantage to this solution is that it would double the available parking spaces. By creating more space, vehicles would move faster to and from campus creating less congestion on busy Providence Drive. Improvement to existing parking would add walkways to help cross over going to the campus, thus greatly improving road safety for both: the vehicles and pedestrians.

Vehicle accidents, road rage, and ER access would be improved since the congestion on Providence Drive would be minimized. This solution would favorably affect the issues with tardiness and positively solve the unauthorized use of parking at Providence Hospital and Goose Lake. The cost of this project is approximately set at 2 million dollars per parking, according to Chris Nowak at Affordable Construction, and Stan Vanover-UAA Project Manager. While this may seem expensive at first glance, it is the best solution for improvement.

A solution with traffic lights and hiring extra staff to control traffic congestion does not adequately address solving the problems. The only cheaper solution to improving parking is to do nothing. However, this solution though saves money does not solve the students and staff issues, or traffic congestion, and will actually create more problems and complications in the future. The benefit for UAA for this project is that it would recover accumulated expenses from parking fees over 5-7 years (Parking Services), at the same time will solve the outlined problems.

This solution is the answer to the described problems, and is reasonably cost effective.

Description of Project

This project requires adding one more level to existing floor plan, example: airport-parking style, without roof, with ramp access to another level. Second level would have connecting stairs and or elevator to first floor. The pedestrians’ pathways would be implemented between diagonal parked vehicles for safe crossing. Easily accessible ramps would be used by snow removing vehicles during wintertime; the first floor would be snow free.

This project will ensure improvement in parking—double the available space, pedestrians and vehicles safety, and would reduce traffic congestion at Providence Drive due to faster rotation of moving vehicles. Pictures of North and West Parking. Note the hazardous road condition and lack of pedestrians’ walkways

Cost

The cost for this project has been estimated at 2 million for the North Parking, and 2, 2 million for the West Parking according to Affordable Construction.

These costs include planning, materials, and labor. The planning include the cost of design, surveying, and appropriate permits for the city of Anchorage building code. The materials and labor include the cost of all construction materials and labor needed to complete the project (including 4 elevators if needed). This estimate may change due to prices fluctuation for material or labor cost. Estimate is fairly set as of November 27, 2009. The estimator predicted the low of 4 million dollars to as high as 5, 2 million dollars for this project.

Significant amount of money could be saved for material if ordered early in the year from lower 48, and shipped directly.

Time Required and Schedule for Project

Completion Planning of project can begin early January 2010. The actual construction should start early May— at the end of spring semester—to ensure completion by the end of August, right on time when the fall semester begins. Construction project should take 110-120 days, ensuring as little as possible interruption with students vehicle traffic. The impact on the construction and students should be minimal as fewer students attending UAA during summer.

Conclusion

Despite our economic downturn, colleges in the United States reporting increase in attendance and ever-rising tuition fees. UAA is a home to more than 15 000 students annually; in 2009 UAA reported over 1000 students more than previous year in attendance.

We believe that proposed solution to parking improvement is an excellent way to reduce traffic congestion, pedestrians, and motorists’ safety, and provide adequate parking spaces. We look forward to making UAA a safer, well-developed campus. If there are any questions you may have, please contact us at your convenience.

References

1. 2008 survey, Campus Commuters Statistics can be found at: http://www. uaa. alaska. edu/opra/upload/Common-Data-Set-2008 Department of Transportation, vehicle accidents statistics can be found at: http://safety. fhwa. dot. gov/hsip/fivepercent/2008/08ak. htm
2. UAA Parking Services comments can be found at: http://www. uaa. alaska. edu/parking/, 907. 786.
3. Municipality of Anchorage, information on traffic lights can be found at: http://www. muni. org/Departments/traffic/engineering/Pages/Signals. aspx
4. Information on cost analysis, construction, and planning for the project can be found from: Stan Vanover, Senior Project Manager UAA, Department of Facilities, Planning, and Construction
5. Information on project cost estimate can be found from: Affordable Construction, Chris Nowak, 907. 245. 5722, 20907 Turnagain St, Anchorage

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