Parking permit rates to increase in August

As of Aug. 1, parking rates will increase for West Virginia University students and professors who purchase parking permits.

WVU’s Department of Transportation and Parking is raising the rate for parking permits to help improve existing lots, to expand to accommodate more drivers and to make payment easier for short-term parking lots.

"This year we are spending almost 2 million dollars on improvements to our parking system, [including] new short-term parking equipment that will allow for credit cards," said Hugh Kierig, director of Transportation and Parking at WVU.

He explained how the renovations will make life easier for commuters, even with the rate increase.

"Major renovation of existing parking, such as area 81 on Van Voorhis road, will improve the parking and eliminate a lot of the engineering problems that we were having with the old lot," he said.

The Department of Transportation and Parking is also starting programs that insure long-term maintenance of new and existing lots.

The increase for parking rates will affect gravel hard surface, premium parking areas and student permit lots but not short-term lots, according to Kierig.

"The increase will affect each lot about the same amount. The more access you have to parking resources, or the better your parking is relative to a grade, you’ll pay more than a surface lot," he said.

An employee who parks on a surface lot will pay about an additional 75 cents per pay period, according to Kierig.

The exact amounts of the rates for permits haven’t been released, but all of the lots will be raising prices by an equal percentage.

The Department of Transportation and Parking also offers alternative programs to employees and students who choose not to purchase permits. For example, University employees have access to the Occasional Parking Program.

"Employees who want to give up their parking permit will receive 18 free one-day parking permits that they can use throughout the year," Kierig said.

Another option is the WE GO! program, which offers a variety of transportation from carpooling to the Personal Rapid Transit system.

To learn more about WVU’s transportation options visit the Department of Transportation and Parking’s website at http://transportation.wvu.edu.