By Tricia Giger / Staff writer

The Pitt-Greensburg campus is growing, and with it a need for more parking. Approximately 1,200 students will commute to school this year.

The annoyance involved in finding a parking spot and paying for a parking pass is a big concern for commuter students.

There are 1,139 parking spaces on campus, including handicap spaces. Tom Horan, director of campus safety and security, explains that in an overflow, another 30 to 50 cars could park on Ballfield road.

“Maintenance has repaved some parking lots over the summer and removed approximately 10 spots in order for fire trucks and emergency vehicles to have access to certain buildings,” Horan said.

Senior commuter Tina Vignone explained that in the afternoons, she often has a lot of trouble finding a close parking space.

“For my early classes, I can usually find a space in no time. Around 1 p.m., I’ll be lucky if I can find a space in less than ten minutes. I usually park close to powers, but in the afternoon, I always have to park in the upper lot,” Vignone said.

Emily Shaffer, a junior, who also commutes, agrees.

“It takes me around 10-15 minutes to find a parking spot. Sometimes I have to park in a different lot altogether. If I’m going to Powers, sometimes I have to park at Lynch,” Shaffer said.

Students are often late to classes because it takes too much time to find a parking space.

“I’m late all the time,” Vignone said. “I will leave my place with plenty of time to make it to my class but sometimes it won’t matter because all the spaces are full and I’ll have to spend time driving around looking for a spot.”

Another concern that commuters face is the price of parking passes. This year, the cost of a parking pass is $75 for the whole 2008-2009 school year. Students, staff, and faculty are all required to pay the $75 for a parking pass. This is compared to last year’s $50.

Horan explains that the cost of a parking pass has gone up this year due to the cost in maintenance fees.

“It can take around $65,000 to re-pave a whole parking lot. The price of salt for in the winter continues to rise, too. Even with the rise in parking passes, the cost of maintenance still isn’t covered,” Horan said.

At least some students say that the cost of parking is too expensive.

“Fifty dollars was OK. It was a fair price, and I didn’t mind paying it. Now I would rather risk getting a ticket than paying the $75,” Vignone said.