Independent Student Newspaper for the University of Texas at San Antonio

The Paisano

Independent Student Newspaper for the University of Texas at San Antonio

The Paisano

Independent Student Newspaper for the University of Texas at San Antonio

The Paisano

Commentary: The long ride home

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Photo Credit: Rafael Gutierrez

San Saba Hall houses 618 new residents to campus and adds diversity and population to campus. However, a new dorm complex means that a significant number of those new residents need a place to park. This helps the university fill the previously unused spaces in Residential Lots 3 and 4 on the Northwest side of campus, but creates a rather large problem. These 618 new students must fight with the 1,678 students in Laurel Village and Chaparral Village for the parking spots closest to Laurel Village and San Saba Hall. There needs to be some sort of separation.

Resident Lots 1 and 2 are located between the on-campus dorms, while Resident Lots 3 and 4 lay to the Northwest, on the opposite side of Chaparral Village from San Saba Hall and Laurel Village. Residents of Laurel Village and San Saba Hall have to fight over the spaces closest to their respective dorms in Lots 1 and 2, but the main problem presents itself when Residents of Chaparral Village park in Lots 1 and 2 as well. They have plenty of space in Lots 3 and 4, which are right next to Chaparral Village.

When residents of Laurel Village and San Saba Hall park in Lots 3 and 4, they have to walk all the way around Chaparral Village. This is a safety hazard in the middle of the night when residents are required to walk so far from their car to their residence and it becomes difficult to carry groceries and luggage to and from the car.

The lots should be divided according to proximity from residence to lot. A Housing Permit currently allows residents to park in any of the Resident Lots. If all of Lot 1 and most of Lot 2 were split between Laurel Village and San Saba Hall, and Lots 3 and 4 were designated for Chaparral Village, then residents would have much easier access to their respective residences. Furthermore, lowering the price of Tobin Garage Parking Permits specifically for Laurel Village Residents would give them incentive to park there, which would provide more convenient parking spaces.

If the lots were divided proximally among each residency, then the on-campus living experience would be safer and more convenient.

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