Parking lots you should use and ones you should avoid
FAU may be swarming with commuters on a daily basis but there is still parking to be found.
The parking lot outside Wimberly Library is tough to park in because there aren’t many spots. AVOID! Alexander Rodriguez | Photo Editor
The Boca campus is notorious for its lack of parking and statistically it makes a whole lot of sense. There are over 38,000 registered parking passes on campus with just 11,403 total parking spots.
The good news is that students leave throughout the day to either go home, get lunch or find parking elsewhere. And while the lots are busiest from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. during the week, if you avoid certain ones but stick to others during these hours, you won’t be stuck looking for parking for long.
And just some advice: When you have class during those peak parking hours, you most likely won’t find a spot right outside your building. I recommend getting to class an hour early during your first week to weigh the different parking options and figure out what works best. Otherwise, you’ll start out the school year stressed and with a less-than-stellar attendance grade.
Parking Garage I
This is the parking garage located near the Student Union and Wimberly Library. Parking Garage I is the first lot to fill up on campus, primarily because of its centralized location and it being the first garage that commuters see when they pull through the main entrance of FAU.
This garage is almost impossible to find parking in during mid-afternoon, filling up to capacity by 10-11 a.m. (A sign at the nearby traffic light lets students know if the garage is full or empty.)
Student Union – Parking Lot 16
The lot outside the Student Union is almost always full during peak hours and as the day draws on, your odds of finding a spot aren’t exactly high. This is caused by the fact that people are constantly coming and going from the Student Union and the nearby Student Support Services building (which shares the parking lot with the union).
Living Room Theaters Lot
Although the on-campus movie theater has parking spots open to the public, students are prohibited from parking here during the day. This gives patrons of the theater (who tend to be elderly) easy and accessible parking. Students who park in this lot with an FAU parking permit will receive a ticket.
Library – Parking Lot 19
The lot outside Wimberly Library is tough to park in at anytime because there are so few spots available to begin with. Students who are running late to class and are looking for a quick spot to grab: Save some time and avoid this lot.
Glades Road Soccer Fields Lot 17
Just as you pull onto the FAU Boca campus through the main entrance on Glades Road, the first parking lot you will see is Lot 17, located directly outside the soccer fields on your left-hand side. If the Student Union lot is packed, and you need to get to the union or the Student Support Services building, consider parking here. It’s a short walk to either building and not too many students seem to be aware of it.
Parking Garage II
Located on the east end of campus near Parliament and across from University Village Apartments, many commuter students forget about Parking Garage II. This is the perfect lot to park in if you have classes in the Arts & Letters building, the Social Science Building, the College of Nursing or even General South.
College of Education – Lot 9
Outside the College of Education is Lot 9, a great alternative when Parking Garage I is full.
This parking lot provides access to many buildings such as the College of Business, the Wimberly Library and the Rec Center. It’s also much less stressful to look for a spot here in comparison to Parking Garage I.
Outside Parking Garage II – Lot 27 and Lot 28
These are essentially overflow lots for Parking Garage II. If the garage fills up during peak hours or you don’t feel like driving up and down it looking for a spot, there are always open spots in one of these two lots.
Athletic Field – Lot 15
If you have class on the west side of campus, the parking lot located outside the baseball fields and swimming pool is a great choice if you can’t grab a spot at the Student Union. It’s also a good alternative if you need to get to the Wimberly Library or the College of Education.
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Thomas Chiles is the features editor of the University Press. For information regarding this or other stories, email [email protected] or tweet him @thomas_iv.
Thomas is a senior multimedia journalism major. He started at the Owl Radio news show before joining the UP as a contributing writer. You will most likely...
