2008 Woodie Awards
Time to reevaluate the routes
More public transportation options could reduce demand for parking
by Dannielle Higginbotham
Issue date: 10/9/08
Section: Campus News
For many Minnesota State students, the campus' lack of parking is an obvious issue, even more so now with residents of the new Sears dorm parking in the Crawford parking lot and some Crawford residents forced to park in Gage.
The solution might seem to be creating more parking spaces, but another option is increasing public transportation around campus.
"Bringing a car to campus is used as a status symbol," said Minnesota State Student Assocation Vice President Murtaza Rajabali. "I think we need to get rid of that and make public transportation a part of the culture at MSU."
Rajabali is part of an effort to get a grant that would increase the availability of public transportation around campus, most notably the Stomper Express.
If MSU received the grant it could increase the number of days during the week the Stomper is available.
The main goal is to get students around Mankato, not necessarily to Minneapolis or other cities.
"We want to find a way to network Mankato," Rajabali said.
Rajabali is also hoping to find a way to extend route 1, which runs on campus and through nearby apartments, and route 8, which runs around campus and the parking lots. The MSSA funds both routes.
"Right now these run from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.," Rajabali said. "We want to try to extend the hours until 11 p.m."
Rick Straka, vice president of finance and administration, agreed.
"We'd like to expand bus services to help students in night classes, which typically don't get out until 9 or 10 p.m.," Straka said. "We could look into adding another route, but first we would have to do a survey or study analyzing the cost versus the possible ridership."
Straka said he hopes to keep costs low for all involved.
"We want to make sure that ridership is such it would be affordable to both the institution and the rider," Straka said.
David Cowan, the facilities services manager and chairperson of the parking advisory committee, said extra transportation around campus could not be done without some source of extra money.
"We think we could have enough ridership, but who would pay for it?" Cowan said.
While students are concerned about transportation around Mankato, many of them hope for better long-range options as well.
"I'm more concerned about getting to the cities," said Tuan Pham, a junior automotive engineering major. "I'd like to see MSU's rideshare program become more well-known and pronounced, or it would be nice if there were a train or light-rail system."
Pham also said accessibility to shops in Mankato should be increased.
"There are two Cub Foods down the hill, but none on top of it," Pham said. "Either give us more routes to be able to shop or bring the shops to us."
"I think the red-eye should go around to apartments too," said nursing sophomore Baonhi Phung.
"During the winter when it's freezing, people will have to walk back to the apartments in the cold and maybe late at night."
Phung also said the College Connection bus that runs from Mankato to the cities should pick students up on campus.
"It's ridiculous that you have to catch the bus at the Happy Chef, so you have to find a way to get there," Phung said. "That's ridiculous because if we don't have cars to get to the cities, we don't have cars to get there either."
Cowan believes that an increase in public transportation would help students not only get around Mankato, but help with the parking issue as well.
"The more buses there are and the easier it is to get around without a car, the less pressure there is to get more parking spaces," Cowan said.
Dannie Higginbotham is a Reporter staff writer
The solution might seem to be creating more parking spaces, but another option is increasing public transportation around campus.
"Bringing a car to campus is used as a status symbol," said Minnesota State Student Assocation Vice President Murtaza Rajabali. "I think we need to get rid of that and make public transportation a part of the culture at MSU."
Rajabali is part of an effort to get a grant that would increase the availability of public transportation around campus, most notably the Stomper Express.
If MSU received the grant it could increase the number of days during the week the Stomper is available.
The main goal is to get students around Mankato, not necessarily to Minneapolis or other cities.
"We want to find a way to network Mankato," Rajabali said.
Rajabali is also hoping to find a way to extend route 1, which runs on campus and through nearby apartments, and route 8, which runs around campus and the parking lots. The MSSA funds both routes.
"Right now these run from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.," Rajabali said. "We want to try to extend the hours until 11 p.m."
Rick Straka, vice president of finance and administration, agreed.
"We'd like to expand bus services to help students in night classes, which typically don't get out until 9 or 10 p.m.," Straka said. "We could look into adding another route, but first we would have to do a survey or study analyzing the cost versus the possible ridership."
Straka said he hopes to keep costs low for all involved.
"We want to make sure that ridership is such it would be affordable to both the institution and the rider," Straka said.
David Cowan, the facilities services manager and chairperson of the parking advisory committee, said extra transportation around campus could not be done without some source of extra money.
"We think we could have enough ridership, but who would pay for it?" Cowan said.
While students are concerned about transportation around Mankato, many of them hope for better long-range options as well.
"I'm more concerned about getting to the cities," said Tuan Pham, a junior automotive engineering major. "I'd like to see MSU's rideshare program become more well-known and pronounced, or it would be nice if there were a train or light-rail system."
Pham also said accessibility to shops in Mankato should be increased.
"There are two Cub Foods down the hill, but none on top of it," Pham said. "Either give us more routes to be able to shop or bring the shops to us."
"I think the red-eye should go around to apartments too," said nursing sophomore Baonhi Phung.
"During the winter when it's freezing, people will have to walk back to the apartments in the cold and maybe late at night."
Phung also said the College Connection bus that runs from Mankato to the cities should pick students up on campus.
"It's ridiculous that you have to catch the bus at the Happy Chef, so you have to find a way to get there," Phung said. "That's ridiculous because if we don't have cars to get to the cities, we don't have cars to get there either."
Cowan believes that an increase in public transportation would help students not only get around Mankato, but help with the parking issue as well.
"The more buses there are and the easier it is to get around without a car, the less pressure there is to get more parking spaces," Cowan said.
Dannie Higginbotham is a Reporter staff writer
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