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It is 10 a.m. Wednesday and senior Angie Harting has been battling the construction on Thurstin Street, hunting for a parking space the last 10 minutes. Her class starts at 10:30 a.m., and – as a middle childhood education major – she will be teaching in her methods class today.

“Now I’m going to head back to the ice arena where I’m going to have about a 15 minute walk back to my class,” Harting said.

While the frustrations of Harting are similar to those of many across campus, it does not have to be.

Knowing when and where to park, the locations of the newest lots, and the operations of the shuttle service can make the early morning search for a space a whole lot easier, and concerns such as security and the increasing cost of gas can be relieved as well.

Regulations rule

The first thing parkers on campus should know is the rules. Studying the campus map and the parking regulations included with permits is the best way to relieve parking frustrations. The map and regulations are also available online at bgsu.edu/offices/safety/. Click on parking and traffic.

By knowing the times enforcement takes place, parkers can reduce their walk in the evenings and weekends. For instance, parking meters are only enforced from 7 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Most other lots are open to all permits on nights and weekends as well.

With a few exceptions, faculty and staff lots are open to all student permits on weekends after 5 p.m. on Friday until 7 a.m. Monday and on weekday evenings between 5 p.m. and 7 a.m.

The exceptions include lots C and S, which are patrolled until 9 p.m. instead of 5 p.m. and the entire east side of lot K and north side of lot G, which are reserved at all times. It is also important to note that holders of faculty and staff permits may park in any commuter lot when their designated lots are full.

Commuter lots are similar, but close every weeknight. They are open to all permits between the hours of 5 p.m. and 3 a.m. Monday through Friday and can be parked in after 5 p.m. on Friday until 3 a.m. Monday morning.

So, when the evenings and weekends come around, getting out to lot 6 overflow and bringing the car close to home is a must.

The Unknown Lots

Besides the rules of the Parking and Traffic Office, it is also important to know the city’s. The least used spaces close to campus are that of the city’s.

For instance, spaces are available in the metered city lot along Manville Ave. behind Pita Pit and W.G. Grinders nearly all day. The charge is 20 cents an hour with an hour maximum stay, but the ticket is only $3 if paid within the first 72 hours of reception should someone leave their vehicle too long.

There is also parking along streets that surround campus, such as Troup Ave. near the Tucker Telecommunications Center. Parking on this road is limited to two hours, but there is always a space within a three minute walk to campus.

Commuter students familiar with parking on campus will tell you that there is no unknown space. This is not true. Last spring, when lot 4a (located between Pike and Ridge streets) opened abruptly, it was weeks before the lot filled during peak hours, which according to Enriquez is Monday through Thursday from about 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Another lot which opened recently is lot 21 next to the Wooster Center, which has both metered and commuter spaces. However, it is lot 4 that will be the Motrin for commuter migraines.

The lot, which has been under construction since last school year, was delayed considerably when it was discovered that a diesel fuel tank had ruptured underneath the site.

“The fuel had leached into the surrounding soil. This was a significant setback, and involved the Ohio EPA, remediation companies, testing agencies, etcetera,” Marc Brunner, project manager for the Office of Design and Construction, said.

The new commuter lot, which is located behind the university heating plant right across Pike street from lot 4a, is now slated to be finished before the end of September, and will have 200 spaces.

Security a Must

The new lots are commuter, and therefore mean little to those holding on-campus permits. On-campus parkers, however, have their own set of problems. They park their cars on campus for weeks, even months.

This creates problems when thieves realize that on-campus lots are a treasure trove of stereos, cds, textbooks, and more. Furthermore, vandals may damage cars when they realize that no one is there to see them.

But what they don’t know is that there is someone seeing them.

In 2004, 96 vehicles were reported tampered with and theft was reported in 16 vehicles.

The Department of Public Safety, led by Chief of Police James Wiegand, takes several actions to prevent such occurrences, including the monitoring of security cameras placed across campus.

“We do have cameras in place that we use, that are monitored all the time, we have other cameras that are not monitored all the time, and we do have cameras that we can put out there anywhere needed,” he said.

There are also random patrols by University police officers and campus security officers. Shuttle operators also keep a watchful eye as they roam campus.

However, the best parking lot crime fighters are the parkers themselves. Wiegand urges anyone who witnesses a crime in progress to contact the University police immediately with a description of the perpetrators.

Parkers can go to the blue lights located throughout campus or dial the number on their cell phones. Storing 372-2346 in their cell will allow for a quick response.

Wiegand gave several other suggestions for preventing parking lot crime, beginning with locking up all vehicles left unattended.

“Don’t leave valuables visible in your vehicle. Don’t let your CD binders lay in your car. Oftentimes the vehicles that are broken into are those that have CD binders or book bags in plain view. Take the extra 30 seconds to put them in your trunk and out of sight,” he said.

Hitching a Ride

Those same on-campus parkers that park way out in Lot 6 overflow have another conundrum on their hands when they step out of their vehicles and realize the campus is a 15 minute-sometimes winter-walk away, but thankfully the University Shuttle Service is right there to pick them up.

Utilizing the shuttle is one of the best ways to avoid parking frustrations.

“After hunting for a space like 45 minutes one day, my friends are now taking the shuttle,” Harting said.

There are two shuttle routes serving off campus residences in the north and south. The posted wait time for the north route is 20 minutes, and the posted wait time for the south route is 15 minutes. However, the south route is currently taking longer due to a trial run of a stop at the Copper Beech apartment complex. Expect to wait another 22 to 25 minutes.

The main campus and night and Sunday route connects nearly all of the campus parking lots. A route map containing important information about the shuttle is on page 8, and includes other routes as well.

Utilizing the shuttle is also an effective way to cut down on gas costs.

“If I was a commuter I would park in lot 20 and ride the shuttle. If I lived on the north or south I would definitely ride the shuttle. It’#39;s a lot cheaper than driving,” Fred Smith, shuttle services director, said.

According to Enriquez, whether utilizing the shuttle or not, starting early is essential to ensuring an easy arrival to campus.

“You really need to take time to plan your day out so that you are not cutting yourself short to get to your destination,” she said.