Problems with parking

Most of us know already that driving to Portland State is a bad idea, and new students will eventually figure out that this is true for multiple reasons. Gas, traffic and parking.

Every now and then we have all had to endure the pains of driving to class: we slept in, missed our ride, stayed up all night writing a paper that should have been done days ago. So we get in our cars, try (and fail) to evade traffic and construction, and spend more time searching for a parking spot than we even spend in class itself. It’s a hassle and a great expense.

A full time parking pass at PSU for one quarter is $267. It’s affordable for some, but costly for the average student. Not all can continually fork over this amount. The other options for drivers are to park on the street or in metered PSU parking lots.

Parking on the street in Portland costs $1.25 an hour, while parking at PSU’s metered parking costs $2 an hour at the majority of the lots (a small few offer $1 per hour). In the end, it could cost the driving student attending 12 hours a week (a modest estimation) anywhere from $180 to $280 a quarter, merely for metered parking. Which brings us right back to the excessive cost of parking, only with the added distress of finding a decent spot.

What is one to do to avoid this tedious and costly commute? We are fortunate to live in a city and attend a university that offers a variety of alternatives that will not only patch up your wallet and relieve some stress, but will also offer greater benefits than driving in the first place.

Perhaps the best way to travel to class is public transportation. It can be much cheaper than the price of gas. TriMet goes just about everywhere in the city and beyond, and PSU students get 35 percent off of a TriMet pass. Whether traveling by bus or the MAX, a big advantage is that you are free to do much more than you can while driving. I primarily use the MAX, and there is no hiding that I love it. I take advantage of the free zone spanning from Lloyd Center to Southwest 10th Avenue, making my commute cost around $0. On every trip, I have taken care of required readings, studied for tests, worked out statistics homework and even typed up a response paper or five, while still being able to pick up my coffee at multiple locations.

Shortly, the MAX will be getting even more convenient, as the city is furthering its reach by constructing more lines, one of which will run right up to PSU’s doorstep. The same goes for the bus.

In case you are one of those whom are wary of possibly meeting that one weird guy that seems to show up on every bus, you aren’t limited to public transportation as a means to avoid driving. Try biking. We have all seen the rows of bikes lined up outside of Smith Memorial Student Union and Cramer Hall. Portland gives much support for its bike riders. Many roads accommodate them, and parking a bike is free all across town. Portland State also has a highly convenient bicycle co-op that costs $10 a year to gain access to tools and repair, parts or other things a cyclist may need.

There will always be some whom simply must step on the gas to get to school. I at least suggest that you look into carpooling with your fellow students. That way, fewer cars will clutter up the parking lots and streets around PSU, and it’s cheaper for you. Or, and this may merely play to my fondness for them, PSU has many open parking spots for motorcycles and scooters, and the parking pass is a meager $64 per term. You would still be battling the roads, but you would look a lot cooler doing it.