Pass offers late-night parking

Students driving to campus in the evening will have a new parking option starting this fall.\nThe L-permit, proposed last year by the IU Student Association, will allow students to park in A,C and E spots any time after 5 p.m. until 8 a.m. the next day, with the exception of spots for 24-hour usage. The permit also includes access to parking garages at the same hours. \nWith the cost at $40 for a full year, L-permits are significantly less expensive than E-permits, and are just slightly more than tickets for illegal parking on campus. \nIUSA president Meredith Suffron, a senior, said she hopes the price will entice students to buy the permit and park legally.\n"One good thing about the pass is that it is the price of a ticket and will hopefully encourage those who park illegally to buy one and be safe instead of running the risk of a ticket," Suffron said.\nSuffron said the idea for the L-pass has been around for a few years but was a big issue in this year's IUSA elections. \n"This is one of the first parking changes in years, and I think it's nice (the University) is trying to adapt to students' needs," Suffron said.\nAccording to the proposal, the pass was created to cut down on parking fines and so "the money profited from the purchase of the pass could serve as a dependable source of revenue."\nThe permit was created with students living off campus and in greek houses in mind, offering a cheaper option to those who purchase E-permits but do not necessarily use them for the stadium lot. The L-pass promotes the use of academic resources on campus in the evening, such as libraries, computer labs and study lounges. \n"I ran this idea by a few friends before we made the proposal and they really liked the idea," IUSA vice president Aaron Johnson, a senior, said. "It gives students another option and choice than what they have now and is much more convenient with a better price."\nSuffron said interest and support of the L-pass was high during IUSA elections, which encouraged the idea.\nAnother consideration for the approval of the permit was safety. The pass allows students to park closer to their event after dark, a positive aspect for Parking Operations Director Doug Porter.\n"There are people that don't want to walk or ride the buses at night when it's cold and dark outside," Porter said, "and it's nice to have your car close by."\nJohnson said there has been no negative feedback.\n"This kind of thing will definitely benefit me because I live off campus and it's really hard for me to find a spot on campus without getting a ticket," said freshman Lindsay Fry, who plans to purchase the pass for next semester. "It's also good because I ride the 'Park and Ride' bus, which stops running after 6 (p.m.), so basically after that I cannot get back home."\nThe L-pass will be made available at the same time as existing permits, and Porter said parking operations expects to sell about 1,000 permits.\n"I think we'll sell a lot because there is a group who I think is holding out and not registering their cars because they are trying to get by with not spending the money," Porter said. "But it only takes one ticket to make it worth your while"