Courtesy Photo |
By Hunter McColl
Staff Reporter
Students, faculty and staff on Amarillo College’s Washington Street Campus said they’ve noticed an increase in parking issues since the beginning of the fall 2024 semester. In fact, a steady stream of parking tickets have been issued for people who are parking illegally on campus. People are not only parking where “No Parking” signs are located, they are not parking with the flow of traffic and they’re also parking in front of curb ramps.
“The handicap spot is constantly blocked, which makes it hard for anyone who needs the ramp to access the building,” Norma Worthey, Kappa Chi Assistant, said.
Mass Media Instructor, Maddisun Fowler, said she went to get something out of her car the second day of school and saw several illegally parked vehicles. “As I was walking to my car, I saw that someone had actually parked in front of the ramp next to the Bible Chair, making it inaccessible for people who needed to use it. It just so happened that someone actually needed to use the ramp and was unable to because it was blocked and an Amarillo College police officer had to physically help them. The lack of consideration for others is mindblowing.”
The 2019 master plan included the addition of 60 extra spaces in parking lot 10, located behind the Byrd/Parcells Building and renovations to parking lot 9. However, some said they are concerned there’s still not enough places to park, especially since the street parking on Jackson Street has been roped off.
“People are running real close on time,” Mural Worthey, director of Amarillo Bible Chair and professor of humanities, said. “Their class starts at 9 a.m. and they’ll come in at 10 minutes till 9 a.m. and they want to park, jump out and run to Byrd or Parcels. There just aren’t enough spots.”
AC Police Officer, Dustin Owens, said people should pay attention to where they park. “Just be more observant of where you are parking and just know that if you park in one of those spots that you could get a ticket,” Owens said.
To Adjunct Professor of Communication Ann Shofner, her biggest concern lies along the traffic buildup that came with the changes to the parking lot and the creation of the roundabout. She said that on her first day of class, she had to park three blocks away from Parcells in order to get to class.
“If it’s aesthetic only then I have a real issue with that,” Shofner said. “I think money could have been spent in better ways than spending it on a roundabout on such a narrow street.”
Engineering major, Kaden Martinez, gets to campus early because of work but said he finds it ridiculous to see the entire side of the park lined with cars of people who couldn’t find a parking spot. He said the solution to this problem is promoting the bus partnership between AC and Amarillo City Transit.
All AC students, faculty and staff have free access to the public bus system with a valid AC ID.
“For someone who doesn’t want to waste gas or someone who doesn’t like the commute by myself in my big car, I think that taking the bus is really beneficial,” Martinez said.
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