The new Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication in Phoenix offers various parking options that could prove to be problematic for students, faculty, and staff this fall.
More than 1,400 students will attend classes at the new downtown Cronkite campus this August.
Students wishing to avoid parking tickets will pay anywhere between $210 and $780 for a parking permit near the campus. Students who attend class only a few days a week can park in nearby garages ranging from $8 to $16 a day.
Sam Sweeney, a senior majoring in journalism, will commute downtown for the first time this fall.
"I am more or less trying not to think about it yet," Sweeney said. "I know it's going to be a problem but I would rather deal with it later."
The new residence hall downtown, Taylor Place, will house more than 500 students with only enough parking for 120.
Cherie Hudson, Manager of ASU West Parking Services, believes parking will become an issue for the campus in the next few years.
"Downtown Phoenix is a metropolitan area, and as the city grows, so will the parking problem," Hudson said.
Taylor Place has temporarily resolved their parking dilemma by creating a lottery for students who will reside there in the fall.
"I have mailed out a letter to all students who have been accepted to live downtown. The first 120 students to respond will have a parking space," Hudson said.
Around 60 parking spaces are still available for $720 per year.
Assistant Dean of the Cronkite School, Kristin Gilger, believes that downtown parking is available and fairly priced, considering what students pay to park in Tempe.
"Students will not pay anymore to park downtown than they already do now," Gilger said.
There are plenty of options to avoid parking altogether, she said, including free shuttle bus services and the new Metro light-rail opening later this year.
"I believe students will be pleasantly surprised with the parking downtown," Gilger said.
Although the Cronkite school offers services to and from Tempe, students will be responsible for finding parking at the Tempe campus before being shuttled to Phoenix. Students who do not own a Tempe permit will spend $8 a day to park on campus.
The downtown campus will accept Tempe permits that are valued at $280 or more. The permits will be valid in Lot 5, which is approximately five blocks away. If the permit is less than $280, students will only be permitted to park in Lot 5 after 5 p.m.
The new light-rail, which will provide free transportation for students to and from downtown, will not be up and running when school starts but is expected to begin service on December 27th.
Reach the reporter at: ashainke@asu.edu.
