Students returning to the Hill next semester may have an easier time parking their car.

The parking lot on Chestnut Street across from Regents Avenue is being renovated and is expected to open in January.

Ed West, director of planning design and construction, said Western was expected to put out bids for a contractor to complete the project last week.

Unfinished work includes asphalt that needs to be laid and lighting that needs to be installed.

The current estimate of construction costs is $200,000 to $230,000, he said.

Once it re-opens, the lot will hold about 250 spots, but the amount could change depending on the landscaping around the lot, West said.

Randy Deere, co-chair of the parking and traffic committee, said they are discussing renaming it Regents lot.

West said once the construction is finished, the entrance will line up with Regents Avenue.

John Osborne, associate vice president of campus services and facilities, said this is just the first of two more possible phases.

“We’ll put more parking on site as funds become available,” Osborne said.

Doug Ault, director of Facilities Management, said the land has about five acres, but the lot will only use about three acres.

The lot’s design began this summer, West said.

Osborne said the renovation of the lot has been a part of a bigger project to improve parking.

“It’s a compliment to what we’ve already done,” he said.

Osborne said while January is the goal to re-open the lot, the scheduling and cost of the project will not be definite until a contract is awarded.

West said drilling was done to find ways to store storm water to prevent future drainage problems.

A future issue that could possibly slow the construction down is the laying of the asphalt, West said.

Since there have to be specific temperatures to lay asphalt, many asphalt plants close in the winter, he said. It could be spring before the asphalt would be down.

“We definitely would have spaces with stone in January,” West said.

West said students would be able to park after the gravel is put down in the lot.

Karl Laves, co-chair of the parking and traffic committee, said the lot would be an all-permit and evening lot.

There will be no evening parking until lights are installed, Laves said.

Reach Lindsey Reed at [email protected].