Craige Parking Deck to add levels

Craige Parking Deck will soon offer approximately 900 new spaces for parking — but at the expense of nearly two years of construction and about $33 million.

Randy Young, spokesman for the UNC Department of Public Safety, said the first stage of the project will begin Tuesday, and the construction is expected to be completed by the summer of 2014.

He said the renovation, which will increase parking spaces by adding three levels, will not require the deck to be fully closed at any time.

Junior Amanda Gurkin, who has a parking permit in Craige deck, said she anticipates having to leave earlier for class because of the disruption. But she said she is excited about the project.

“I think that’s awesome. One of our biggest issues has always been parking,” she said.

“Hopefully this benefits everyone who is interested in getting a parking spot.”

Young said that the construction will not cause overcrowding for current permit holders, including faculty and students, as fewer spaces were allocated for the year in preparation for the project.

Permit prices were not affected by the construction project, he added.

“The prices have not gone down, just the number that were available there,” he said.

Young added that the project will disrupt traffic flow, as the deck’s Blythe Drive entrance will be temporarily closed.

“The biggest impact on the folks who are current permit holders will be that they will need to access the deck via Craige Drive or via Manning Drive,” he said.

Parking spaces on level one will not be open to permit holders during the first stage of construction, Young said.

He said permit holders who usually park there will need to temporarily park on a different level.

Students and faculty with permits do not have designated spots, so temporarily moving to other spaces will not be an obstacle, he said.

Young said permit holders will have to enter on level three or level five from the other entrances, and then descend to level two.

“All of level one and portions of level two will be impacted initially,” he said.

As the project progresses, those with permits will be allowed to park on the levels that have been completed, he said.

The project will also disrupt regular traffic and pedestrian patterns, Young said, adding that although no lanes will be shut down, lanes on Manning Drive will be shifted temporarily.

Pedestrians will also be re-routed to travel on the other side of Manning Drive due to a loss of pedestrian sidewalks in front of Craige Deck, he said.

Senior Brittany Haile, who also has a permit in Craige Deck, said that because of the changes, she might resort to walking to class instead of using her permit.

She said that the construction will be inconvenient — and is all too familiar.

“I feel like there has always been construction on parts of campus since I’ve been here,” she said.

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