06/13/95
CONTACT: Stanford University News Service (650) 723-2558
STANFORD -- Parking fees at Stanford will increase by $10 for 'A,' 'C' and resident student permits in 1995-96, while formerly free 'Z' permits for outlying lots will now cost $40 apiece, the Office of Transportation Programs has announced.
The price of 'A' permits will increase from $280 to $290 per year. 'C' and resident permits will increase, from $70 to $80 annually. Service vehicle permits will cost $480. Motorcycle permits will cost $20. ]Z] permits will be $40.
Prorated quarterly and monthly rates still will be available for all permits. One-day "scratch- off" permits will remain at the current prices: $4 per day for 'A' permits, $1 for 'C' and $6 for service vehicle permits.
The price increase for 'A' permits is considerably lower than in past years.
"Historically, we have raised the price of 'A,' 'C' and resident student permits by 12 to 14 percent each year, to help raise money for parking construction," said Julia Fremon, manager of Transportation Programs. "But we don't want the gap between 'A' and 'C' prices to get too large, so we will not raise the 'A' permit price by that much this year."
'A' permits are good in parking spaces closest to workplaces; most 'C' spaces are a bit farther from the most popular locations, and the 'Z' spaces are the most remote. Students who live on campus can purchase resident permits that are issued by zone.
In another significant change, the payroll deduction option is being phased out for 1995-96.
"No matter how hard we try, we haven't been able to make our system communicate well with the three payroll systems, those of the university and the two hospitals," said Paula Anderson, retail operations supervisor in Transportation Programs.
"But we now have three other ways that people can spread out their payments," Anderson said. "They can pay with credit cards, buy quarterly permits or buy monthly permits."
While parking prices go up, new alternatives to driving will become available for many people.
Those will include a major expansion of Marguerite shuttle service this fall. The existing system will be replaced by two new routes serving the two local CalTrain stations, California Avenue, the Stanford Shopping Center, the Medical Center and downtown Palo Alto. Both routes will run every 15 minutes from 6:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.
The Marguerite will make timed transfers with every train all day. The shuttle will also serve the inexpensive parking lots at Stock Farm Road, the Stanford Stadium and the Serra Complex.
In addition, a new Bicycle Programs Coordinator starts work this month to develop and implement programs to improve the bicycling environment at Stanford. Planned enhancements include new bike routes, campus-wide bicycle safety programs and improved bicycle security measures.
The value of Clean Air Credits will increase from $70 to $80 in 1995-96. Commuters who carpool, vanpool, bike, walk or take public transit to work, rather than buying a parking permit receive a credit redeemable for transportation-related items such as bike equipment, transit passes, walking gear and car repair. Two people carpooling together can get a free 'C' permit or $80 off the price of an 'A' permit.
When first instituted, 'Z' permits offered commuters the option of free parking in remote lots that otherwise were not used on a day-to-day basis. Campus growth and development near the Stadium and Medical Center led to the demand exceeding the supply in 'Z' lots. The Stock Farm lot was converted to 'C' parking last year, and is now mostly vacant. In an effort to balance supply and demand in these lots, 'Z' permits now will be sold at half the price of 'C' permits.
The Office of Transportation Programs stimates that the cost of each parking space is more than $1,200 a year. A portion of this cost is paid by permit fees, and the remainder comes from contributions from building projects and parking income from visitors and conferences.
Factors that contribute to the cost of parking include construction of new parking lots, debt service on existing structures, maintenance, enforcement and administration. Over the past eight years, Fremon said, Stanford has spent about $35 million (in 1995 dollars) to build 1,800 parking spaces in the main campus and the Medical Center.
In addition, revenues from building projects support the Marguerite and other transportation programs, to help offset the traffic and parking impact of new buildings. Funding for the Marguerite system also comes from the city of Palo Alto, Stanford Health Services, the Stanford Shopping Center and CalTrain.
Registration materials for Clean Air Credits and parking permits will be distributed in August. For more information on services offered by Transportation Programs, call 723-9362 or visit the office on the ground floor of 855 Serra Street.
In other parking-related news, the 'Z' lot near Stanford Stadium is scheduled to be paved during the next year, said Jeffrey Tumlin of Transportation Programs. Also, new parking spaces will be made available to employees when the parking lot at the Eating Clubs (off Serra Street near Encina Hall) is converted from a private lot to university-controlled parking. The spaces will be designated as 'A' parking, Tumlin said.
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