From the Office of the Interim Vice President

I get the question about parking permits often. Whether the question is from students, staff or faculty looking for term or monthly permits or from residential students wanting a term permit to park in the Chandler lot, the reason we don’t offer a long-term permit is the same: SUSTAINABILITY. Sustainability is one of the four pillars of OSU-Cascades. The pillars act as guiding principles for the development of the campus. We have sustainability goals for net-zero energy, water, and waste. So, what does that have to do with parking? Well, we cannot be a truly sustainable campus without considering the number of motor vehicle trips to and from our campus and the impact that these trips have on our environment. Single occupancy motor vehicle trips are a major contributor to carbon emissions, traffic congestion, and energy usage. Alternatives to single occupancy motor vehicle trips include bicycle riding, public transportation options, and carpooling.

By giving commuters a daily opportunity to consider parking charges, it encourages those coming to campus to break some habits in how they get to campus. Habits form from month long permits. If a person were to buy a monthly permit, they would likely be compelled to use it every day of the month without considering coming to campus via an alternative method. By having folks make daily decisions about how they come to campus, they are more likely to interrupt the habits formed, particularly if the cost savings in doing so are significant.

Many studies have shown that the largest travel mode change, and most pollution reduction, happens when parking and transportation costs are:

1) internalized to the traveler

2) marginal, and happen for each trip (e.g. daily parking fee)

3) avoidable, and choosing a different mode is feasible

We do offer monthly permits in the Simpson lot. This was done to provide a more convenient payment method in direct response to feedback, but we did not extend the permit system to the Chandler lot intentionally. Obviously, the Chandler lot feels more convenient for getting to and from classes, the residence hall, and the dining hall. Therefore, a monthly permit in the most convenient lot would not be consistent with our sustainability objectives. I know that this seems inconvenient at times, and it is – by design. The next time you go to use the parking App, ask yourself if that inconvenience is better or worse than coming to campus by a different mode. While public transportation may not be an option, perhaps a carpool is. Perhaps biking to campus to save money on gas and parking costs is worth it periodically.

Thank you for the feedback that many of you have provided on parking. Your comments and concerns have resulted in change. I will be unveiling two key changes based on your feedback at the Parking Forum on April 1^st. Make sure to be there to hear about these exciting changes!