AUGUSTA, Ga (WJBF)- Augusta University is taking steps to solve the parking problems on the Health Sciences Campus. In early February, the Georgia Board of Regents approved a request by AU for a new parking deck.
As the University continues to grow, so does the need for parking. Without sufficient parking, students sometimes have to park several blocks away in neighborhoods and make a long trek to class.
A few years ago, some of the residents there took their frustrations to the Augusta Commission to keep the cars from blocking their streets.
“It got to the point where the buses from the…the school buses couldn’t come through. Emergency services weren’t able to get to our seniors,” said Tareon Johnson, a home owner in a nearby neighborhood.
In 2017, people living near Augusta Avenue signed a petition to stop the excess parking that was blocking their streets and the Commission granted their request. Johnson said there are renewed concerns now that a parking deck is going to be built nearby.
“The lights at night and things like that. The other concern is that it might start to spill over on our streets and obstruct the traffic again.”
Trent Maddox is a student at AU. He said finding parking is a daily struggle and sometimes he has a long hike to get to class.
“You know, you have to get here really early to get a good parking spot. But, you know, some days it’s bad,” he said. “I’ve been way down the road in…near people’s houses sometimes. So, it’s been a little bit of an issue.”
Maddox said a big concern about the current parking problem is security.
“At least some of our female classmates, they probably don’t feel comfortable especially if they have to stay late at night. You know, walking back, this way alone.”
Courtnee Mazyck, another student at AU, agreed, saying she would feel much safer having a well lit parking deck closer to the campus.
“I would love that, especially since it would be safer for me. Especially if I have to go to clinical and it’s really dark outside, maybe 6:00 in the morning.”
Even with her concerns about a new parking deck, Johnson said she hopes it is beneficial to the students.
“We don’t have anything against the students or anything. They’re trying to park and be able to go to class. Eventually they may be helping some of us.”
AU said that the Board of Regents green light was the first step and that right now, the project is in the early planning stages. There are no construction details or timeline at this time.
Photojournalist: Reggie Mckie.
