Both Loyola and Tulane University have begun taking steps to alleviate the parking problem on Loyola’s campus in more ways than one.

Parking Services has planned to install car-counters in both entrances of the West Road and Freret Street garages.

These devices will calculate the number of vacant parking spaces by counting the number of cars as they enter and exit the parking lot. The start date for this service is, as yet, undetermined.

In the meantime, Tulane has agreed to allow Loyola students park their cars in a specific parking lot located off of Claiborne and Calhoun (close to the Tulane baseball stadium) on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

A complementary shuttle service to and from Loyola will also be provided.

“Construction should end by the end of January if the weather holds,” said Robert Reed, vice president of Student Affairs.

For now, this service is meant to give people an alternative as well as reduce morning congestion.

“It is more like a hunting license rather than a guarantee of reserving a legitimate space,” Reed explained. Students should be proactive and find the best times to park on-campus.

“It’s a matter of getting a schedule,” said Tiffany Vice, music therapy senior. “If I get here earlier in the morning, or come later in the evening, I don’t ever have a problem.”

Now, if you are running late, Vice advises commuters to opt for other forms of transportation such as walking or riding a bike.

Hunting for a parking spot may be a painful way to start the day, but remember that it is temporary and will be well worth the hassle once the project is finished. For some students, optimism is the best way to get by.

“It means our campus is growing in a positive direction,” Vice said.

So, hang tight, make use of the Tulane parking service, and before you know it parking spots will no longer be considered an unreachable luxury.

Natalia Verdina can be reached at [email protected]