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| In a move to encourage drivers to use Park-and-Ride lots around the city’s perimeter, the current ‘green’ parking area in the Crisler Arena lot will become an ‘orange’ lot July 1, requiring a $50 permit, down from a cost of $130 this year. Photo by Rebecca A. Doyle |
Orange permits for the new year will cost $50, yellow are $100, blue are $436, and gold are $872. Last year, the 12-month fees were $130 for orange, $237 for yellow, $430 for blue and $860 for gold. However, permit holders only paid for 10 months during the 1999–2000 season in order to move the beginning of the permit year from September 1 to July 1.
Another significant change for the 2000–2001 permit year will be the relocation of the free parking areas for faculty, staff and students from campus locations to the Park-and-Ride lots around the perimeter of the city—Pioneer High School, Green Road, South State Street and the Maple Village Shopping Center. The current “green” parking areas—Crisler Arena, Keech and Main, and Glazier Way—will become “orange” lots. Parking and transportation via AATA buses will be free at the Park-and-Ride lots simply by showing a U-M identification—a parking permit is not necessary.
“We incur significant costs every year to administer and maintain each parking space,” said Pat Cunningham, director of Parking and Transportation Services. A charge of $50 a year—less than 25 cents per workday—will help the parking system recover some of the costs in nearly all parking areas.
“We’ve also worked hard to identify more blue parking spaces, especially on Central Campus, “ Cunningham said. “Two new structures will be built over the next two years, one on Forest Street in a joint project with the city of Ann Arbor and the other on Palmer Drive. We are also continually looking at new ideas to ease the parking crunch.”
Those who elect to pay for their permits through payroll deduction can save some costs by electing to have the permit fee deducted from pre-tax earnings. Based on an annual salary of $22,000, the savings with pre-tax dollars would be 27.05 percent or $117.94 for a blue permit. With a salary of $60,000, the savings increases to 40.05 percent or $174.62 for a blue permit. With payroll deduction, permit holders may choose the number of deductions, between one and 11, over which to spread the permit fee cost. Departmental budgets continue to subsidize the cost of parking with supplementary payments.
As in the past, students will be able to purchase a limited number of orange and yellow permits in the fall based on availability. Freshmen and sophomores (new for 2000–2001) are not eligible for parking permits.
As of July 1, motorcycle permit tags will no longer be required. Motorcycles may be parked free of charge in any designated motorcycle parking area; they are not allowed, however, in regular vehicle parking spaces.
The 2000–2001 rates for blue and gold permits were part of a three-year package of rates that were approved by the Regents at their March meeting. Rates for blue and gold permits will increase 5 percent for 2001–2002 and 4.5 percent for 2002–2003.
“The proposed increase for the first year is modest,” explained Executive Vice President Robert Kasdin, “recognizing the current challenging parking conditions for faculty and staff. The increases proposed for the three years, averaging 3.67 percent per year, will provide the funding for the construction of almost 1,100 spaces on Palmer Drive, 277 spaces on Forest Street and several hundred more on a yet-to-be-determined location.”
Questions about parking and transportation changes and alternatives can be answered by calling (734) 764-8291 or visiting the Web at www.parking.umich.edu.