The All State

Media Credit: Patrick Armstrong A van on the corner of Eighth Street and Marion Street is parked in a no parking zone. [Click to enlarge]

Media Credit: Patrick Armstrong Cars line Marion Street. Of the 7,443 full time students enrolled, only 3,790 spots are available. [Click to enlarge]

For the 7,443 full-time students at Austin Peay State University there are 3,790 available parking spaces.

This makes it difficult for students to park near the buildings of their choice.

It also tempts them to create parking spaces of their own.

"There are always parking places, it's just the parking places may not be where people want to park," said David Brockman, an APSU security guard.

"I would guess I've written about 35 tickets today," Brockman said.

Brockman started as a campus security guard last year and says that not much has changed in the number of tickets he writes since he started.

"It's first come, first serve," Brockman said. "There's always places to park, but if you get here later in the morning you may have to walk a little."

There has been some talk of correcting the parking problem via construction of a parking garage somewhere on existing campus property.

"Right now it's in developmental stages," said Sergeant Charlie Struckel. "It may be five or ten years (until the parking garage is completed) but it is being considered."

APSU is also creating more parking by buying new land or converting existing university property into new spaces.

"The university is always expanding and buying new properties," Struckel said.

"Any institution is going to have parking issues, it's a problem at every college in the state," Struckel said. "To be honest, of all the colleges I've been at, this ones not bad."

According to APSU Physical Plant's Mark Davidson, there are always new spaces being added.

"We're going to put a new lot on the corner of Castle Heights and Marion street by the sorority house," said Davidson. "I think we'll get about 25 new parking places there."

Until more convenient parking is available campus safety will continue to issue citations.

"Anytime you see someone on an [issueing citations] it's either a security guard or a student patrol and they write the majority of the parking tickets," Struckel said.

According to Struckel, officers rarely issue campus parking citations. All the revenue from the tickets goes directly to the university, not to campus police.

"All of the money goes directly to the school," Struckel said.

"I'm not one to complain," said Amanda Blaeuer, sophomore. "I don't mind walking, except for in the winter. Sometimes in the winter it's not cool."

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