Fall Editorial Board 2016
At almost every school, it’s popular practice for students to deride their universities. Whether it’s for serious issues such as a lack of University-led action toward sexual assault or more benign issues such as dining options, the complaints are there and plentiful.
Specifically, people here are upset about the University changing the times for A-zone parking, a decision rooted in the faculty’s need to have consistent parking for work.
Some students argue more parking lots need to be created on campus, an idea that isn’t inherently wrong, but may not be easily reconciled with the way Auburn’s campus is designed.
Too often, students complain about the need for more spaces without fully appreciating the balance the University must maintain between keeping a decent number of parking spaces available and keeping Auburn from becoming a huge parking lot.
Auburn’s walkability has become a staple of its campus design. Students want to be able to walk all around campus without having to navigate a sea of vehicles.
There are some ways to appease folks who want more parking spaces.
One way the University has answered these complaints is by buying the North Parking Deck on the corner of West Magnolia Avenue and Wire Road. This adds more than 900 parking spaces for students and faculty, and it isn’t a detriment to Auburn’s walkability because it is on the edge of campus.
Another way the University is combating increased demand for parking is by facilitating the use of alternative transportation.
The University established a bike rental service in spring 2016, which accommodates students with good, reliable transportation.
This way, fewer people require cars while attending Auburn and therefore fewer parking spaces are needed. Instead of trying to add several more lots, we should push alternatives.
We believe steps such as these will do well to preserve Auburn’s lovely, walkable campus.
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