Title
Creating a Flat Parking Rate for Visitor Parking during UM 2008 LS&A Commencement
Memorandum
As you may know, The University of Michigan has resolved to move its LS&A 2008 commencement ceremony from its traditional site at Michigan Stadium to the Diag on April 26, 2008. Up to 25,000 people are expected to attend this event, and it will be important to facilitate easy exiting from the parking structures near campus when the event is over.
The DDA Operations Committee recommended that the DDA approve a flat $5.00/entry rate for the event day to enable patrons to exit readily. The decision was based on our practice during Art Fair, as a flat fee will help reduce traffic backups in the structures, and it will encourage as many State Street area and South University area employees as possible to make the choice to use a bus or a non-motorized means to come to work that day, thereby freeing up more parking for visitors. This parking strategy is being included as part of the Commencement Day logistics planning currently underway by the City of Ann Arbor and University of Michigan.
At its March 5, 2008 meeting the DDA voted to approve this flat fee of $5.00/entry on Saturday, April 26th from early morning until after University of Michigan commencement has concluded in the following campus area parking structures: Forest, Maynard, and Liberty Square.
With this memo the DDA is notifying Ann Arbor City Council per its Parking Agreement with the DDA, with the expectation that these rates shall go into effect on April 26th unless City Council votes to disapprove the creation of this special event parking fee. If no action is taken by City Council, this new parking rate will be publicized in the Michigan Daily and the Ann Arbor News in the coming weeks.
Staff
Prepared by: Susan Pollay, DDA Executive Director
Approved by: Roger Fraser, City Administrator