By: Bob Browand

With Thanksgiving just days away and winter break on the horizon, it’s clear the fall 2016 semester is coming to a close.

Selecting classes for next year, cramming for final exams and putting the finishing touches on projects and research papers is likely keeping everyone busy these days; however, Parking and Transportation Services has some things they’d like you to keep in mind and remember before you leave campus for the semester.

Annual Permits: Individuals who purchased an ANNUAL Garage, Student or Economy parking permit, but will not need it in the spring semester as a result of graduating, transferring or changing your mode of transportation, should return it to one of the PTS Customer Service Desks, located in either the Stadium Parking Garage or the Welcome Center. The specific location, as well as hours of operation for each customer service location can be found on this map here. Please note, enforcement of parking permits in UH Student and Economy lots will stop on Monday, Dec, 5 for the fall semester. This means that individuals with Economy permits may park in Student lots without fear of being cited any time of the day. It's important to remember, though, that all vehicles parked on campus must have one type of the current year's permit offerings.

Semester Permits: If you purchased a fall-only garage permit, but need to park on campus in the spring, a limited number of economy permits may be available for purchase.

COAST: If you fail to secure a parking permit for the spring semester, we encourage you to enroll in COAST, our alternative transportation incentive program. This program offers members the opportunity to enroll in either the carpooling or METRO tiers of the program, which each offer their own specific perks and benefits to users. 

Parking impacts during graduation: Before we can officially shift our gears to the spring semester, we have to first celebrate all of the Cougars receiving their degrees this December. College convocations for the fall have been scheduled for Thursday, Dec. 15 and Friday, Dec. 16. The bulk of the ceremonies will be held on the west side of campus in the UH Basketball Facility, so individuals planning to be on campus those days are urged to park on the opposite side of the University to avoid the anticipated congestion. Visitors, volunteers and graduates will be directed to a variety of campus locations including the Stadium Parking Garage, the Welcome Center Garage and surface lots 9B, 9C, 12A, 12B, 16B, 16D, 16E, and 16G.

Winter maintenance: Over the winter break, lots of work will be taking place across campus to improve the condition of University roads and parking lots. Part of this work, which includes converting portions of lots 8A and 9B from gravel to asphalt, is a continuation of maintenance that began over the summer. Attention will also be given to roads near Entrance 1, as well as Calhoun Lofts. Additionally, a large portion of the work will include asphalt repair throughout the lots at the Energy Research Park. Please be mindful of this work, should you find yourself on campus during the break.

I wish you all the best as you wrap up your fall studies and prepare for the semester ahead.    

published: Tuesday Nov. 22, 2016