by Wes Abney
Business Manager

Parking on the SCC campus will be limited this year as the upper campus parking area known as the “Pit” indefinitely closes starting this quarter.

Overall congestion and a limited number of school-monitored parking spaces are making parking on campus a major ordeal.

“I didn’t even bother coming around the campus for parking,” said current SCC student Jackie Foss. Her attitude has been strongly reflected among both students and staff at the college this quarter.

With no prior warning of the Pit’s closure, the parking lockdown is a surprise for the majority of people associated with the school.

While it may appear as a snap decision by both the city of Shoreline and SCC, the college administration has known of the closure since the spring quarter of last year.

There was nothing unexpected for the administration as students were turned away from campus parking on the first day of fall classes.

The Pit has been owned by the city of Shoreline since its incorporation in 1995. Since then, the school and the city have operated on reciprocity regarding the Pit.

After over a decade of use by the college as a monitored and tolled parking area, the city of Shoreline has repossessed the Pit and denying campus use of the facilities.

Signs listing the Pit as campus parking have not been removed. The same number of parking passes have been made available to students and no announcement was made to students before the first day of classes this quarter.

“I didn’t realize what was going on with the Pit,” said SCC student Teela Ryan. “I didn’t know that the city was taking it away.”

On the first day of fall classes, traffic advisors were posted at each entrance, turning students away from the school lots. Each was equipped with maps of campus parking and signs that read “Parking Lots Full.”

“Many students have said that parking spaces have been unavailable,” said SCC Instructor Dr. Linda Warren.

“At least five to six students have been coming in late to classes each day due to parking and congestion. It’s been causing lots of frustration.”

For students intending to drive to school this year, there are several options that do not include fighting the SCC traffic battle.

Shuttles are offered continuously from the Sears parking lot and the campus. There are also limited amounts of parking on residential streets within walking range of campus.

“The shuttle does pick people up… but it’s still awkward and slow,” said Foss, “I paid for parking and I deserve to park on campus.”