PTS make new additions due to construction projects

A campus bus leaves the bus stop in front of the Downing Student Union on Wednesday morning heading to South Campus on Wednesday. The new bus route will allow students living in the dorms to park at South Campus and ride the bus back to their dorms.

Natalie Perry

New additions to WKU’s transit system aims to prepare students for the loss of parking spaces due to the upcoming construction of Parking Structure 3 on Creason lot.

Jennifer Tougas, director of Parking and Transportation Services, said students displaced from parking on campus due to a limited number of housing permits will probably benefit most from the new line editions.

“300 students are having to park at South Campus because of the construction of the new parking structure on Creason lot,” Tougas said.

Parking and Transportation took steps to ensure students were aware of the decrease in spaces by selling less housing parking permits for the year. Students had a choice between premium housing zones and non-premium housing zones. Those who purchased the non-premium zone permit will be the students parking at South Campus. Construction on PS3 was slated to begin in September, but after difficulty selecting a contractor the project has been delayed.

Parking and Transportation have made additions to the transit system on campus to accommodate the construction projects. A new bus line has been added to the system for students with the non-premium housing permits who are parking at South Campus. This new line will only run on Sunday afternoons from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m., only stopping at bus stops serving the residence halls.

“Students come back from visiting their family and friends on Sunday evening,” Tougas said.

A new bus stop has been added in front of the Honors College, serving the Sunday bus. The Sunday line stops also include, Campbell Lane, South Campus, the Valley, Downing Student Union, Keen Hall, Jones Jaggers Hall and Gary Ransdell Hall.

Project Manager Tiffany Dempsey said new shelters have been placed over the EST and Russellville Road bus stops in addition to the new bus line and bus stop.

“The stop across from EST had a shelter so Parking and Transportation thought it would be good to have one over on the EST side as well,” Dempsey said.

Dempsey said the Russellville Road stop was so new it should have a shelter. Both stops received new standard sized shelters to keep students from the weather while they wait for their bus.

Reporter Natalie Perry can be reached at 270-745-6011 and at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter at @natalie__carter.