An online petition questioning an increase in parking costs at the University of Kentucky is gathering steam – with more than 900 supporters signing on as of 2 pm Friday.
Parking permits for most employees increased $3 in July, putting the price tag for grabbing one of those coveted spots at $37 a month or $444 a year. The change.org petition asks for the administration to lower or restructure the parking fees while urging readers to tell the university your “horror stories of driving around campus for an hour trying to find a spot close to work.”
Defending the rates, UK spokesman Jay Blanton notes the school has spent nearly $10 million on parking and transportation improvements.
"There has been a lot of investment not only in campus infrastructure, but also in things like parking, " he says. "We've literally added over 1,200 spaces in the last two years alone... with plans to add more. We realize though it's a challenge. It can be frustrating for folks."
According to the Lexington Herald-Leader, UK issued 12,483 employee parking permits this fiscal year, or about 1,600 fewer than the number of available spots. Still, UK employs nearly 25,000 in total and critics argue the current setup reliably generates headaches.
"In order to get a parking space, I have to come in an hour early," petition supporter Jeremy Thomas writes. "That is an hour of rest and being with my loved one sacrificed. 37$ a month for a parking space you have to fight for."
Blanton adds the hike was not across-the board, as fees remained constant for those who park on the south campus periphery and take advantage of the UK's bus service. He says the school's Blue Pass Lextran system saw more than 1 million free rides in the last year.
If the petition reaches 1,000 signatures, it will be passed on to UK President Eli Capilouto.
"The president was already aware of it," Blanton says. "Certainly we've seen it and have talked about it. That's one of the things that makes the university a great place is everyone can voice their own opinion and you have a dialogue and robust discourse about issues, whether you agree or disagree."
