Welcome to the Fam....ODU's newest parking facility

ODU's newest parking facilties sorta ties into not only a post about how wonderful it is to have, and sure was needed at its time of opening at the beginning of this Spring 2009 Semester. Along with it being a wonderful 800+ space garage mainly for commuters to the Old Dominion campus, it also will soon become the future garage that houses parking patrons for the 2009 Old Dominion football games. The first one being against Chowan Universtity located in North Carolina. All of us here at Old Dominion are anxiously awaiting the opeing of the reconstrusted/remodeled ODU football stadium, and the joys that come with any tailgating experience(although Im not sure about tailgating in a parking garage...hmmm), anyways with the arrival of this new facility, will come more congestion around 45th st. but that is a small price to pay, since in return we(Old Dominion) are getting a NCAA D1 football team.

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Parking Patrol...watch out!

If see a "golf cart" patrolling around any of ODU's parking facilities, usually in most cases it is up to no good...
Old Dominion's office of Parking and Transportation is solely funded by the sales of parking decals, and from the collection of fines. With that being said, parking is enforced on Old Dominions campus about 9hrs a day, and 5 days a week. So in those 9hrs or so, you better believe it, as long as its not pouring down rain, that Old Dominion's parking enforces will be out writing tickets, and enforcing any code that they have been given the right to enforce. Since, this is the only way Parking Services gathers income, they are pretty strict on enforcing the rules and regulations for each and every parking garage on both sides of Hampton Blvd, and every single lot that is on Old Dominions campus. So, be watchful where you park, or else...
YOU WILL BE FINED!

Faculty ONLY....

Well, for this part of the brief parking lot overview here at Old Dominion, I am going to take the time to discuss what lots are for students to park in, and what lots are basically off limits at Old Dominion University. Lots that are for Students can be describe as most parking garages, floors 2 and above. The ground levels on most parking garages are limited to faculty/staff spaces, along with a limited number of metered spaces. So as newcomers to the Old Dominion campus, be watchful of what lots/garages are for regular commuters/parking patrons. As I will tell you in another post, parking patrol can and most likely will fine you 30-60 dollars depending on the violation you commit in any of the parking facilities on Old Dominion's campus.

Always feed the meter

Meter spaces on Old Dominion's campus are sporadic, but there are quite a few on campus for people to park in. The spaces themselves have a two hour limit, and usually accept quarters, dimes, and nickles as payment options. Although there are more "decal controled" lost on campus, on the village side of Old Dominion, there are actually quite a few of meter spaces for restruant patrons to park in. The City of Norfolk controls the meter spaces on the University Village side of campus, while, Old Dominion Parking & Transportation office, controls the meters on the "main campus" side of Hampton Blvd. Just be sure you especially "feed the meter" on the University Village side of campus, because the City of Norfolk employees/parking enforcers are ALWAYS checking meters, more so than Old Dominion meter readers on the "main campus" side. So, always be sure as a newcomer to the campus, to feed your meter, and never let it expire, unless you want a hefty fine!

Be Watchful of Campus Police enforcing Parking....

It is important to remember that ODU has an "event center" called the "TED" for short. This basketball/wrestling/concert venue is a part of Old Dominion's University Village expansion created a couple years ago. With this venue comes the hectic parking problems that you (as new students) will encounter will attending here at Old Dominion. Be watchful and respectful of Old Dominion University campus police forces, that routinely enforce the parking/driving patterns around this venue during special events. Campus police will block off streets in advance (2-3 hrs before the start of a event) to make sure the venue is safe for walkers from crossing streets in and around the TED. So as newcomers to the Old Dominion campus, take notice of changing traffic patterns...in and around the Village and "TED" arena area.

To Signal or Not to Signal

The question of the day...is do you use your signal as much as you should? After all the years of practicing with our parents & behind the wheel course teaching us that signaling is very important to alert other drivers know which direction you plan on moving towards. As time passes, most of us seem to forget for some reason or another to use or signals when turning, etc. It seems that people especially commuters on I-81S. Recently on a trip to Blacksburg, VA, I noticed just how many people, randomly change lanes WITHOUT signaling. I though to myself....WHAT ARE YOU DOING! People need to realize, especially on that particular interstate, signaling is very important, especially when its 10am in the morning, and the only thing you can see is the white fog rolling through the scenic views/mountains. So, just to remind other commuters that may read this blog, please use your signal! Well, that is my rant/post for the week....

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Decals for sale...The Switch

Well, Decals next semester should be (most likely) sold online, and mailed to your homes. This will take the days of long lines, and waits for getting your decal a to-do of the past come this fall. Hopefully if All goes as planned, Decals will be sold online @ ODU's Parking and Transportation Services Website.
So most will be glad, that this change is coming to the office of parking services, other not so much. I personally prefer to purchase my decal in person, since I am one of few students that actually purchases their decal in the early weeks of August before the Fall semester gets underway. This new system should be beneficial to students who not only live locally in the 757, but it should make it easier for students that live in other parts of Virginia, and other states as well. I recently had the opportunity to listen to a lecture by an official from ODU's University Relations office, and she described to us some of the issues facing their department, with budget cuts, etc. She described to us some of the things that University Relations is currently working on, one of which is an "awareness" campaign for ODU Parking Services. In the future look, for some changes to the Parking Services website with a more mediated look.

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