Cal U aims to improve traffic flow, ease congestion on campus

Posted on July 7, 2010

Ongoing changes at California University will improve traffic flow and enhance safety and convenience for campus commuters.

Beginning this fall, a multi-story parking garage with more than 660 spaces will help to relieve congestion in Cal U parking lots. 

Students, faculty and staff who register to park in the new Vulcan Garage can enter Manderino Library through a breezeway that offers shelter from inclement weather. Plans call for a coffee bar in the library's lobby, so students and employees can "fuel up" for the day ahead.

Located near the University's main entrance, the Vulcan Garage will provide convenient, out-of-the-weather parking for campus visitors, as well.

Outdoor parking areas also have been expanded and upgraded.

The shoreline River Lot has been paved and now has room for more than 900 cars. Lighting, shelters and emergency call boxes have been installed, and the railroad crossing at Beazell Street, near the Eberly Science and Technology Center, is scheduled for completion this summer.

On Cal U's south campus, the Roadman Park Lot provides paved parking spaces for more than 700 vehicles, and a permanent bus shelter has been installed.

When fall classes begin, students, faculty and staff who park at Roadman can ride the free Vulcan Flyer shuttle to and from the main campus. The fleet of handicapped-accessible buses will start traveling at 5:30 a.m. every weekday, and shuttles will run regularly until 11:30 p.m.

The Vulcan Flyer will stop at several convenient points on both the south and main campuses. A shuttle is scheduled to arrive at each stop every 10 minutes during peak hours and every 15 minutes during off-peak times.

By the start of the fall semester, drivers will see easy-to-read signs that guide traffic, identify parking areas and point the way to destinations on the main and south campuses. The new signage is designed to ease congestion and help drivers navigate the campus more efficiently.

Also this fall, a parking registration system will control the number of vehicles assigned to each lot. A parking permit/hang tag will be required for entry, eliminating the hunt for a lot with an open space. Call buttons at each gated lot will ring through to the Parking & Transportation office during business hours, and to University Police after 4 p.m., so they can activate the gate or dispatch the appropriate assistance, as needed.

These measures are designed to alleviate traffic tie-ups and make parking on campus more convenient for Cal U students, employees and visitors. For information about parking, shuttle schedules, Zip-Car rentals, carpooling and more, visit https://parking.calu.edu.