Parking Problems in the Florida National University - Essay Example

Parking Problems in the Florida National UniversityBig universities like the Florida National University often have a lot of traffic. The traffic is a direct function of the many students and staff members of these universities. In addition, the increased tendency of students to hold part time jobs in between classes has increased the relevance of transportation and thus increases the strain on campus facilities that were not designed to accommodate the heavy traffic demand. For example, in most colleges with living halls for students, the halls often have insufficient parking for the students living in them.

In the Florida National University, the issue of parking and campus traffic is increasingly crippling movement. This essay will show polices that can be adopted by the university to reduce parking problems. In many colleges, the problem is addressed by restricting students driving, or simply by allocating parking slots on a first-come –first –served basis (Shoup 21). While these approaches have produced varying levels of success, they have significantly reduced on-campus traffic. However, there are a few associated problems.

For example, disabled students should be allowed to drive or be driven to school because o their conditions. In addition, lecturers and other important staff members serve the concern of a large number of people, implying they should not be required to compete with students for parking space in their places of work (Shoup 21). Therefore, despite the merits of the mentioned approaches, there is need for more conclusive approaches. An economy-based approach has been proposed by Shoup. He proposes that in controlling the parking fees for students and other staff in campuses, it is possible to reduce traffic (Shoup 29).

For example, parking lots close to lecture halls and offices are susceptible to traffic congestions. Raising the parking fee in these areas is likely to take them out of the reach of students and thus reduce traffic. Following the laws of economics, reducing the demand increases the supply. Therefore, increasing the prices of parking tickets in vital areas is bound to reduce the strain of parking problems in the campus. However, there is still a predicament with this approach because it requires all people to pay for parking.

By extension, all members of staff and special needs groups with no alternative would fall victim to the plan. Therefore, despite the merits of this plan, it raises other problems (Kilbert and Tali 65). Allocation of parking spaces then appears to be the best approach, since the available parking spaces are allocated in advance, there is likely to be no issue with availability of parking because parties with no parking spaces cannot access them. However, such as approach is bound to inconvenience some parties, it solves the parking and traffic congestion problems conclusively for all parties (Shoup 35).

This approach can be used together with charging for the available spaces because visitors to the campus cannot be allocated spaces and they need them. Parking lots reserved for visitors should have a significant fee to discourage people from using them and thus lessen the burden on them. These solutions are bound to inconvenience students and university staff. However, they in the end, they serve their best interests and reduce wastage of time (Kilbert and Tali 76). The proposed solution is effective in dealing with parking problems and traffic congestions in Universities and other public areas with parking problems.

They also reduce the tendency of people to drive and thus serve to reduce the strains associated to driving on the environment. Therefore, they serve the interests of the university as well as the environment. Works citedKilbert, Steven Michael, and Tali Freed. A microsimulation of traffic, parking, and emissions atCalifornia Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo a thesis. San Luis Obispo, Calif.: California Polytechnic State University], 2010. Print.Shoup, Donald. The politics and economics of parking on campus.

Califonia : Department of Urbun Planning, University of Califonia; Los Angeles, 2008. Print.