The Pointer UW-Stevens Point Student Newspaper
Over the summer of 2017, the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point campus underwent in regards to paying for parking.
As of the fall semester, new parking kiosks have been set up to help with the parking needs of the campus and city.
The kiosks are located on Reserve Street by the Health Enhancement Center, Fourth Ave., Isadore St. and other roads mainly focusing around the residential halls.
The kiosks control around 450 parking spaces around campus with enforced hours from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday.
The proposal was brought to the Stevens Point City Council in 2015. The plan was to install new meters in hopes to help create more revenue for road work around the city.
You pay by putting in your plate number. Photo courtesy of Dalen Dahl.
Kelsey Buttner, junior art and design major said, “The new kiosks allow more variation of student parking more than the quarter meters, also I think the pricing of the new kiosks in reasonable.”
The new meters allow one to pay with cash, credit or through an online service.
Not all students are on board with the new additions.
In an interview with the Stevens Point Journal, former Student Government Association president, John Peralta, said, “(Students) feel like we’re being targeted for this.”
As campus encourages students to take more green initiatives, will the new meters give students even more incentive to bike, walk or take the bus?
As the budget for the installation of the meters was $300,000. The revenue generated is estimated to bring in $75,000 this year, and going forward to generate $150,000 a year.
This newly created income will help the city compensate for the cost of police and fire services. Both services have had their funding decreased by half in the last 10 year from $759,000 in 2006 down to $393,000 this past year.
Kirby Lichon
Reporter
Klich261@uwsp.edu
