The Johns Hopkins Gazette: August 19, 2002
August 19, 2002
VOL. 31, NO. 42

  

New Parking Plans Set For Homewood

Johns Hopkins Gazette Online Edition

First came the Mattin Center, then Clark Hall and the O'Connor Recreation Center; soon, Hodson Hall will open. Under construction is a new chemistry building, and work will begin this winter on the San Martin Center. Together, these facilities addressing student services and pressing academic needs--paired with ensuing changes in roadways and open-space beautification projects--are dramatically changing the Homewood landscape.

Along with these campus improvements comes a need for additional future parking as well as adjustments necessitated today by ongoing construction.

Over the summer, construction began on a 100-space parking deck on the site of the Johns Hopkins Club parking lot, adjacent to the new chemistry building; completion is scheduled for April 2003. Sometime after the midyear break, work will begin on a 540-space, five-level parking deck as part of the San Martin Center project; a summer 2004 opening is expected. This deck will replace the 428 spaces currently available on the Valley Lot, where it is being constructed. A third parking structure will likely be announced soon.

Until these facilities are completed, however, the campus at times will experience a deficit in spaces, and the administration has been working on ways to minimize the inconvenience to parkers.

Already in place are plans to use part of Garland Field for parking; greatly expanded shuttle bus service to the lots at Johns Hopkins at Eastern; provisions for drivers with special needs; and the addition of a customer service professional to interact with employees on current and future needs.

Ron Mullen, director of Security, Parking and Transportation Services at Homewood, says that the temporary opening of Garland Field--which was suggested by some faculty members concerned about their staffs--means that the campus will be able to continue to accommodate all parkers on typical days after Sept. 3, when the lighter summer traffic returns to normal.

When construction begins on the Valley Lot, however, about 250 card-access members needing spaces after the Homewood lots are full will be directed to the Eastern parking facilities. This shift, which was announced in March, had been slated for October; it now will probably begin in January 2003.

To explain the parking changes and address anticipated concerns, Ron Mullen; George Kibler, who oversees transportation at Homewood; and Ray Infussi, Homewood parking manager, sat down with The Gazette to answer specific questions. Those parkers whose concerns aren't addressed here should contact Mullen or Infussi at parking@jhu.edu.

Homewood parking

Concerns or ideas:
Parking Office
410-516-7275
parking@jhu.edu

Emergencies:
Parking Office
410-516-7275

Shuttle schedules:
www.jhu.edu/~security/Easternshut.htm
410-516-6628

Current parking map:
www.jhu.edu/~tour/parking.html

Construction updates:
Great Excavations Web site


What lots at Homewood are affected? Who will have to park at Eastern?

When the Valley Lot closes, we will lose 428 spaces, which represents about one-third of the spaces on the Homewood campus. Because parking isn't assigned, all the other lots will be affected as well. The use of Garland Field, however, has reduced the number of spaces we will temporarily lose.

Staff members who arrive after the Homewood lots are full should proceed to Eastern. Parking attendants and signage will be strategically placed to alert members to this condition and eliminate the need to search for parking. Additionally, members may call ahead to the Parking Office at 410-516-7275 for this information and, if the lots are full, bypass Homewood altogether.

How do I get from Eastern to Homewood and vice versa?

We plan to run the shuttles from Eastern between 6 and 7 a.m. to accommodate construction workers and then begin their regular route at 7:50 a.m. During the rush hours--from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m., when Homewood will likely be filled, and 4:30 to 7:30 p.m.--we'll have four buses running at 10-minute intervals. At other times, they'll be on half-hour schedules and will run until 11:30 p.m. We may have to adjust some of these times. If you normally work a late schedule, we would encourage you to ride to Eastern after 4 p.m. and bring your car back to campus. The shuttles will be air-conditioned coaches that accommodate 26 passengers, or 21 if they're wheelchair-accessible.

Where can I find the schedule?

As times are revised, the schedules will be available on the Internet at www.jhu.edu/~security/Easternshut.htm at the Security Office in Shriver Hall at Homewood; at the security desk at Eastern, which is located in the main lobby entrance; and on the shuttles. If you need a schedule faxed to you, you can call 410-516-6628.

Where are the stops?

At Eastern, the buses will stop in the lower lot at 33rd and Ellerslie, at the shelter on the west side of the main building. At Homewood, the buses will make seven scheduled stops: the Eisenhower Library, the rain shelter south of Clark Hall, the walkway between Hodson and Clark halls, Memorial Walkway between Jenkins and Macaulay, the Bloomberg Center, the Space Telescope Science Institute and the University Parkway entrance. On request, they will stop at the Credit Union door at Gilman and at the Hopkins Club.

From Eastern to the last destination, which is the Space Telescope Science Institute, the trip will take 15 to 18 minutes, depending on traffic. Returning to Eastern during the evening rush hour, the first stop is MSEL. We intend to use express routes to Eastern from stops with large numbers of riders. Yellow Bus personnel will be on-site to monitor the usage and adjust the buses as necessary.

What if I have a medical appointment during the day?

The Parking Office will set aside 10 spaces in the lot south of Garland that will be available on a first-come, first-served basis for staff parkers to reserve for midday medical appointments. To make a reservation, call the Parking Office at 410-516-7275.

What if I have an emergency and have to leave?

You should immediately call the Parking Office at 410-516-7275 for transportation to your car at Eastern. The university has purchased a new van and trained staff for this courtesy service.

What about handicapped parking?

Handicapped spaces are always available at Homewood, although we've had to relocate some because of construction. When those are full, handicapped drivers can park at Eastern, where there will be 15 accessible spaces close to the shelter where the shuttle stops. At least two buses will be wheelchair-accessible, and we can fine-tune their schedules to accommodate those who ride them on a regular basis.

What arrangements have been made to assure my safety and that of my property?

The Eastern lot will have a parking attendant on duty from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Additionally, it will be patrolled regularly by security guards.

With the likely growth of the university population, has there been any talk of initiatives to alleviate the car congestion?

The plans we develop will in part stem from individuals' expressed desires and will be in keeping with our obligation to our greening initiative. Open-space improvements have created a network of bike-friendly pathways and have added more bike racks to meet the anticipated increase in their use. We also encourage the use of mass transportation. With a view toward future improvements, we're looking to even other ways of reducing the number of vehicles. Carpooling, group transportation from off-site locations and pickups at Metro stops are all possibilities. These ideas require full development, and we welcome input.

The administration has given us approval to hire a new staff member in the Parking Office, part of whose responsibility it will be to work on these alternative commuting arrangements aimed at achieving a number of meaningful goals. The search has begun for this person, who also will provide customer service and handle emergency transportation needs.

Why do employees pay to park?

The objective of the university is to meet the needs of those employees who feel it is in their best interests to drive. We are working to make available ample, safe and convenient parking at the most reasonable cost possible.

Although the university facilitates the building of parking lots and garages, as it has done at our East Baltimore campus, these facilities are all user-supported. Parking is a not-for-profit operation. Fees are driven by the costs of operating the system, significant Baltimore City tax and licensing fees, and construction and maintenance costs.

Parking fees can be paid by employees on a salary-deduction basis, thereby avoiding paying income taxes on them.

How can I find out about construction-related issues that may affect parking?

We suggest subscribing to the Great Excavations listserv, which alerts members to both expected and unexpected changes on campus. To do this, send an e-mail message to listproc@listproc.hcf.jhu.edu. Leave the subject line blank. The text of the message should be: subscribe gx Subscriber's Name (for example: subscribe gx Jane Doe). The message should be sent from the account to which the subscriber wants GX messages sent. We also intend to publish timely updates as may be needed.
 

Related Stories
"Homewood makeover, part II" (April 1, 2002)
"Homewood: On the grow again" (March 18, 2002)


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