Aggie Terrace open due to gate malfunctions, officials checking permits

The Aggie Terrace parking garage located next to the Living Learning Center on campus has been open for about three weeks due to broken parts in the gate arm.

However, many students with an Aggie Terrace parking pass only know that the gate broke and that no timeline was announced for when it would be fixed, leaving many with passes frustrated.

“Yesterday was actually the first day I couldn’t find a spot,” said Amanda Jack, a senior majoring in exercise science who has an Aggie Terrace parking pass. “With the gate, when they’re down and you swipe your card, if it’s full it will say it is.”

It’s still been frustrating, however, to see those who didn’t pay for a pass parking in the terrace, Jack said.

“I’ve been kind of like, what’s the point? I might as well tell my roommates to come park here,” she said.

Originally, a mechanism in the arm broke and the parking office fixed it with parts from storage the same day, but the parts didn’t work. When they went to order more, they found out the parts they needed were no longer made, said Afton Seibold, the staff assistant in the parking office. They then had someone manufacture a new motor for the gate arm, which also didn’t work.

“It just seems like one thing after another,” Seibold said. “We assumed with all of this information that it would be a quick fix… It has caused quite a bit more inconvenience and frustration than we imagined.”

The parking office was aware that if the problem was long-term, those without passes would start parking in the terrace, which is something they wanted to prevent.

As of Dec. 3 there has been a person from the parking office monitoring those who come into the terrace, so that only those who have a parking permit or are willing to pay may park there.

Getting to the terrace to park early enough has been helpful for Jack to guarantee a parking space, though she said she hasn’t seen anyone checking for passes when she enters around 7 a.m.

The colder weather is also a possible reason the terrace fills up, since there may be more students who are driving to campus, rather than walking, said Jessica Christensen, a receptionist in the LLC housing office.

Christensen bought a parking pass at the beginning of the semester, and has noticed that the terrace is more full since the gate broke.

“Before when I’d get there around 9 a.m. there’d be a couple spots on the first or second level,” Christensen said, “now I have to look at lot more.”

The LLC housing office was informed of the broken gate when it occurred and were told it would be fixed as soon as possible, but haven’t had any details to share with students since, Christensen said.

“I’ve heard a few comments from people around campus, but not any really specific frustrations,” she said.

The terrace is always monitored at night, whether the gate is functioning or not, for those who have a pass to park overnight, Christensen said, so those living in the LLC don’t have to worry about fewer spaces then.

The parking office will do all they can to monitor the terrace until the problem is resolved, Seibold said.

“We will try to have physical bodies at both entrances, east and west, to restrict it to those who want to pay or have permits, and that will definitely lessen frustration for permit holders,” Seibold said.

There is still no timeline on when the gate repairs will be made with the correct parts.

For more information on parking visit: parking.usu.edu or contact the office at 435-797-7275.

— mandy.m.morgan@aggiemail.usu.edu
@mandy_morg