Resident-parking only signs may appear near the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in the coming months, cutting the number of commuter-available parking slots by over 700.

In an effort spearheaded by the East Side Transportation Management Association (ETMA) and Milwaukee 3rd District Ald. Michael D’Amato, the parking dynamic may improve for student- and area-residents and worsen for those commuting to UWM.

Senate Bill 462, if passed by the legislature, will allow the city of Milwaukee to designate 721 street parking places in an undetermined area around the university as resident-only parking. It failed to pass earlier this year but is up for co-sponsorship and reintroduction into the legislature in October.

In 1977, the Supreme Court decided in Arlington County Board v. Richards that municipalities have the power to discriminate against commuters.

The area surrounding UWM already has a residential parking program in place that allows residents to park in areas beyond posted time restrictions. But the current program does not reserve parking spaces. The proposed bill would give the city a chance to change that.

“A new program would give residents the ability to be able to park in front of or near their home,” said State Rep. Jon Richards, a sponsor and author of the bill.

But not everyone sees the program as beneficial. Commuter students would have a much more difficult time finding parking near campus.

“Parking will be a problem around here for residents no matter how many spots they have,” said Loryn Muehe, a sophomore transfer student from UW-Madison.

Through the renovation of the Klotsche Center, the university plans adding 721 parking spaces in the next few years. The program would be phased in as parking spaces become available, said Peter McMullen, ETMA chairman.

The preferred parking plan would reserve 721 parking spaces for residents, keeping the status quo for parking.

“It’s not fair … they’re adding 100 to lose 100,” Muehe said.

McMullen said one of the main goals of the program is to encourage students to take advantage of alternate types of transportation, including parking at satellite lots or using the transit or bike programs.

The ETMA provides bikes for students to use in exchange for a deposit on the bike.

There is concern that instead of encouraging commuter students to find alternate transportation down to campus, the program could actually spread the problem into areas further away from campus, McMullen said.

“That’s the big unknown for everyone and the big fear for those people that do live a little further away,” he said.

D’Amato did not return the phone calls seeking comment.

Brian Bankenbusch, a junior who commutes about 25 miles from Muskego each day for classes, doesn’t think this is a fair solution for commuter students.

“With not a lot of housing on and around campus, students are almost forced to commute,” he said. “If you can’t provide parking for (commuters), it poses a burden on students that want to go to UWM, but can’t get housing on campus or nearby.”

Bankenbush criticized UPark, a solution D’Amato and Eastside residents encourage as a solution to the parking problem.

“The UPark program needs more buses running the way it is,” he said. “If students can’t park near campus and have to use that program, how are they going to get to campus for class (on time when) all the buses are full?”

Solutions are still being considered and student input is encouraged, said Tom Luljak, vice chancellor of University Relations.

“I invite the students to participate in the discussions and the debate over this proposal because we really do want to find a solution that is best for everyone,” he said.

Luljak said that while the parking program may be a step in the right direction, it doesn’t resolve the parking issues in the areas surrounding UWM.

“The bottom line is that any solution will require compromises on all parts,” Luljak said.

ETMA meetings are open and held the first Tuesday of each month at the Lake Park Pavilion beginning at 8 p.m.

Other UW schools, like UW-River Falls, have programs granting residents parking spaces near their houses. UW-Superior’s program allows street parking around campus only for residents.

> Comments