Students, faculty and staff will soon be feeling the effects of parking and transportation changes. The first major change will be a $10 increase for parking decals that will become effective in the fall, increasing the current fee from $25 to $35. The $35 fee is the maximum amount allowed by the Louisiana Board of Supervisors to be charged to students, faculty and staff members.

According to Mike Davis, assistant vice president of business affairs, the increase is necessary to make improvements in streets and parking lots.

With the $349,000 the university currently has available for street improvements, the resurfacing of sections of Ardoyne, Acadia and Madewood Drives will take place this summer. The increased fees from the upcoming fall semester will enable further resurfacing of all streets and parking lots. These improvements, according to Davis, are scheduled to take place sometime in 2005.

“This is going to affect the entire campus,” Davis said. “There will be some streets that will be closed down, but it will be done in a logical, orderly process so that we will minimize the inconveniences for some people.”

Davis said the state does not provide funding for street repairs, so a parking decal increase is the only real means for being able to improve streets and parking lots that many students have shown concerns for.

“I would hope that they (students) would look at this (increase) as a great improvement and benefit for them,” Davis said. “In about two or three years, this place will look a lot different and much better. All of this will help to recruit students here and to retain students here.”

Another change that will be coming soon is that students parking along U.S. Highway 1 will soon be prohibited and fined if caught doing so.

“The concerns are for students walking along Highway 1,” said Craig Jacuzzo, university police chief. “It causes congestion for students trying to enter and exit trying to park.”

According to Jacuzzo, before any citations will be written, ads will be taken out in The Nicholls Worth to advise students on the deadline when tickets will be written for Highway 1 parking violators. Clear signs will also be posted on Highway 1 to notify that parking is not permitted.

University police, as well as city police, if necessary, will give out citations. University citations will be a normal $20 parking violation fee, and city citations can range anywhere from $30 to $70.

“I always advise students to please watch the cars,” Jacuzzo said. “Make sure the car is stopping before you walk in front of them and respect crosswalks.