Bus, bike or hunt a space

Within the urban downtown setting of the PSU campus lie 3,582 parking spaces to accommodate an approximate 18,000 students and staff, and over one million visitors throughout the year. Many students and faculty joke about parking permits, calling them hunting permits instead. Where to find all of these spaces is about to be explained.

There are three main parking structures located on campus. The first is located at the intersection of Broadway and Harrison. In the 312,000 square feet of cement that makes up the structure, there are 909 parking spaces. There is access to disabled parking on the second level, as well as metered spaces. The basement level of the structure includes carpool spaces. To get there, you can enter at either Broadway or Sixth Avenue.

The second of the three structures is nicely located between Southwest Broadway, Montgomery, Sixth Avenue and Mill. This particular structure is smaller than the first, only 294 parking spaces, but it’s conveniently attached to the University Services Building. You can access this structure by either Broadway or Mill. It’s your choice.

Finally, the third structure, bigger than the second, has 811 parking spaces for your convenience. Located at the south end of Southwest Montgomery, 12th, Market, and 13th, this structure consists of five levels with vehicle entrances on both 12th and 13th.

Structures one and two have wheelchair access and elevators, while parking structure three doesn’t. If all structures appear to be full, you can try your luck at the many parking meters located around campus. Meters are only short-term with four hours being the maximum occupancy. Also, structures one and two have only parking by PSU permit while structure three has both PSU permits and park and pay available.

Parking permits are available on a term-by-term basis.

“Permits are structured to accommodate classroom schedules and based upon credit requirements,” said Julie North, manager of transportation and parking services. Permits are not required on Sundays and on legal holidays when the campus is closed. At the beginning of each term, you can register for permits by either using the Web or using a touchtone phone. The phone number to call to register for a permit is 503-725-NROL.

For more information contact Julie North at 503-725-4412, or e-mail her at [email protected] parking on campus is very limited, so students are encouraged to consider some sort of alternative transportation as their first choice of travel.

Since 1995, PSU and Tri-Met have participated in a partnership to sell PSU students discounts on all-zone bus passes to encourage the use of alternate transportation. Students pay $32 per month for a discounted pass, this saves each student $24 from the normal cost.

But if keeping the environment clean is an instinct you possess, try riding your bike to PSU. Bicycle lockers are available on the PSU campus and for rent through the City of Portland Office of Transportation. For more information about bike lockers, contact Jeff Smith at 503-823-7083, ore-mail him at [email protected]. Bicycle lockers are also available at most MAX stations and transit centers.

If driving isn’t up your alley, there is a new way to get to PSU. This is the first year for the Portland streetcar.

If you happen to take MAX in to Portland, which from Hillsboro is approximately 30-40 minutes and about an hour from Gresham, the best eastbound stop to get off on is Library/Southwest Ninth Avenue. From there, you can walk to Southwest 11th and hop on the streetcar. When the streetcar arrives, it takes approximately five minutes until you reach PSU, depending on which stop you get off on.

“The closest stop for the Portland Streetcar would be at the Urban Plaza … roundtrip rides on streetcars take 40-50 minutes,” commented Kay Dannen, in charge of Portland streetcar information.

The streetcar is the newest addition to make lives easier in Portland. For more information, visit their Web site at: www.portlandstreetcar.org. The Portland Streetcar honors all valid Tri-Met tickets and passes. Annual Streetcar passes are $50 for students.

Also, Sept. 10 marked the first day of MAX transportation to and from the airport. With all of the different options for transportation, traveling to PSU should be easy for you no matter where you live.