4th Street Parking Ramp

[AF_Howie_2180]

Well I thought three weeks ago against Colorado when my wife and I arrived an hour before the game to find an over filled parking ramp (where we pay extra on our seasonal tickets to park in) due to an event at the Tennis Center was just a one time thing. Unfortunately this past week against Purdue proved that to not be the case, and actually this past week was worse than against Colorado. Again we arrived just over an hour before game time and there were NO spots available and after driving up to the top floor and then back down for about 20 minutes we finally just pulled in to an area where our vehicle would fit and put a sign in the window that read "Season Ticket Holder for the Ramp, STOP OVER SELLING THE SPACES!!"

After the game no ticket and the car was still there but I know as we walked to the stadium about 1030 or so staff had closed the ramp to anyone else and were telling them to go park in other ramps and to let the people working those ramps know the 4th Street Ramp was full. I know of several other season parking holders for the ramp who were sent to go elsewhere. While I have nothing against the Tennis community, the U needs to realize if they are going to sell the spaces in the ramp for season ticket holders then on days with conflicting events they need to post or figure out how to make those other potential users find different parking spaces. Not sure if anyone else on here was subject to the full ramp and had to go else where but 2 home games in a row is just not acceptable. Never in the previous several seasons have we ever had this issue when arriving an hour or so before kick off that we have experienced the past 2 home games. Not sure what can be done to fix the issue but the U needs to pull their heads out of their backsides on this one and figure it out because its just not acceptable.

 

[BilldGopher]

Legitmate beef. Send a note to President Gabel and AD Coyle. President Gabel in particular pays attention to these types of things when brought forward.

 

[A_Slab_of_Bacon]

This happened to me a few times with Lot 37.

I politely contacted the athletic department and since then they've done a much better job managing that lot.

 

[2nd Degree Gopher]

Agree with Billd and Slab, no harm in posting the information here to raise awareness and generate some moral support, but you also need to rattle some cages in the Athletic Department at the U to make sure that they know what's going on and how it impacts the fan base. Keep in mind that there is a history of animosity between the Athletic Department and Parking & Transportation Services.

 

[dlw4gophers]

Well I thought three weeks ago against Colorado when my wife and I arrived an hour before the game to find an over filled parking ramp (where we pay extra on our seasonal tickets to park in) due to an event at the Tennis Center was just a one time thing. Unfortunately this past week against Purdue proved that to not be the case, and actually this past week was worse than against Colorado. Again we arrived just over an hour before game time and there were NO spots available and after driving up to the top floor and then back down for about 20 minutes we finally just pulled in to an area where our vehicle would fit and put a sign in the window that read "Season Ticket Holder for the Ramp, STOP OVER SELLING THE SPACES!!"

After the game no ticket and the car was still there but I know as we walked to the stadium about 1030 or so staff had closed the ramp to anyone else and were telling them to go park in other ramps and to let the people working those ramps know the 4th Street Ramp was full. I know of several other season parking holders for the ramp who were sent to go elsewhere. While I have nothing against the Tennis community, the U needs to realize if they are going to sell the spaces in the ramp for season ticket holders then on days with conflicting events they need to post or figure out how to make those other potential users find different parking spaces. Not sure if anyone else on here was subject to the full ramp and had to go else where but 2 home games in a row is just not acceptable. Never in the previous several seasons have we ever had this issue when arriving an hour or so before kick off that we have experienced the past 2 home games. Not sure what can be done to fix the issue but the U needs to pull their heads out of their backsides on this one and figure it out because its just not acceptable.

I got there 45 before kickoff and found a spot my first trip through

 

[forever a gopher]

Agree with Billd and Slab, no harm in posting the information here to raise awareness and generate some moral support, but you also need to rattle some cages in the Athletic Department at the U to make sure that they know what's going on and how it impacts the fan base. Keep in mind that there is a history of animosity between the Athletic Department and Parking & Transportation Services.

This. The U is very bureaucratic. Parking & Transportation services is who is managing that situation, not athletics. Ultimately, from the fan's perspective, you don't care. But having dealt with many projects at the U, managers/departments love to display/use their authority in any situation where they have it. On one (very large, public, and important) project, Parking & Transportation kept giving out parking tickets to vehicles parked next to the job site trailer within the construction fencing. First of all, anybody not associated with the project isn't allowed within the fence, but they took it upon themselves to come and ticket anybody in that space without an authorized tag. It took the department head contacting one of the Regents to tell Parking & Transportation to "stand down". You honestly can't make it up. Many departments treat each other like adversaries, not coworkers. As others have said, contact Coyle and he'll likely be able to resolve it.

 

[Mr. 131]

Well I thought three weeks ago against Colorado when my wife and I arrived an hour before the game to find an over filled parking ramp (where we pay extra on our seasonal tickets to park in) due to an event at the Tennis Center was just a one time thing. Unfortunately this past week against Purdue proved that to not be the case, and actually this past week was worse than against Colorado. Again we arrived just over an hour before game time and there were NO spots available and after driving up to the top floor and then back down for about 20 minutes we finally just pulled in to an area where our vehicle would fit and put a sign in the window that read "Season Ticket Holder for the Ramp, STOP OVER SELLING THE SPACES!!"

After the game no ticket and the car was still there but I know as we walked to the stadium about 1030 or so staff had closed the ramp to anyone else and were telling them to go park in other ramps and to let the people working those ramps know the 4th Street Ramp was full. I know of several other season parking holders for the ramp who were sent to go elsewhere. While I have nothing against the Tennis community, the U needs to realize if they are going to sell the spaces in the ramp for season ticket holders then on days with conflicting events they need to post or figure out how to make those other potential users find different parking spaces. Not sure if anyone else on here was subject to the full ramp and had to go else where but 2 home games in a row is just not acceptable. Never in the previous several seasons have we ever had this issue when arriving an hour or so before kick off that we have experienced the past 2 home games. Not sure what can be done to fix the issue but the U needs to pull their heads out of their backsides on this one and figure it out because its just not acceptable.

That's a stunning oversight. I know the U is a massive institution, but parking and transportation office really need to get on that now. Have you contacted pts? If not, I would def shoot them an email on this - they are generally pretty responsive. So far this season I've been doing the light rail - it helps that I live in st. paul of course - but it's been hit or miss on train frequency out of the stadium.

 

[Some guy]

Oak street ramp same deal.
Not an issue for me unless it’s an 11am due to Saturday morning obligations but it’s to the point where I will no longer buy a parking pass for two reasons:
1) why would I buy one for the whole season when I can just buy the same ramp week to week?
2) why would I buy one if finding a spot is a pain in the ass even with a pass

Honestly will probably just park further away and walk in. No pass means I can Uber to one, train to another, drive to another.

Always just bought a pass for the whole season so the 3-4 games I want to drive I can. But if they are going to let me buy game by game no reason to get a pass

 

[1983]

The ordeal to go to a game is growing for those who do not arrive at least 90 minutes or so early. This has been growing because of lower staff numbers and parking shrinking.

 

[Word]

Oak street ramp same deal.
Not an issue for me unless it’s an 11am due to Saturday morning obligations but it’s to the point where I will no longer buy a parking pass for two reasons:
1) why would I buy one for the whole season when I can just buy the same ramp week to week?
2) why would I buy one if finding a spot is a pain in the ass even with a pass

Honestly will probably just park further away and walk in. No pass means I can Uber to one, train to another, drive to another.

Always just bought a pass for the whole season so the 3-4 games I want to drive I can. But if they are going to let me buy game by game no reason to get a pass

I have Oak St. passes but haven't run into them running out of spots yet. What do you even do in that situation? Will your pass work at a different ramp or are you just screwed?

 

[A_Slab_of_Bacon]

The ordeal to go to a game is growing for those who do not arrive at least 90 minutes or so early. This has been growing because of lower staff numbers and parking shrinking.

They've actually done better about this in lot 37.

I kinda suspect whomever is managing parking is moving deck chairs and maybe they just need more deck chairs.

 

[Some guy]

I have Oak St. passes but haven't run into them running out of spots yet. What do you even do in that situation? Will your pass work at a different ramp or are you just screwed?

Didn’t run out. Did have to go up and down.

I think technically the ramp won’t let anymore in if “full”

So there is like 4 spots left in the ramp and you just drive around and look until you find those 4

If 4 people do a bad job parking and occupy a spot and a half, you could be screwed.

This last week due to my schedule I arrived in the ramp at about 1045am
So this is kind of on me. But I would like to think buying a season pass would allow me to easily park. Probably took me 10-15 minutes of searching for a spot to find one.
At the same time, makes it clearly not worth buying a season pass.

If there are 3-4 11am games I am going to run into this problem 3-4 times


For games with crowds of 35k it isn’t a problem LOL

 

[Word]

Didn’t run out. Did have to go up and down.

I think technically the ramp won’t let anymore in if “full”

So there is like 4 spots left in the ramp and you just drive around and look until you find those 4

If 4 people do a bad job parking and occupy a spot and a half, you could be screwed.

I guarantee there will be at least 4 people that did a bad job parking. Or people with full size pickups that think they get 2 spots.

 

[bleedsmaroonandgold]

It's been mentioned on here that PTS is bureacritaclly distinct from the Atheltic Department. Is part of the problem maybe that the Atheltic Department doesn't do a good job interacting with those partners? There have been countless customer service concerns over the years. The parking problem is handled by PTS. On another thread, the U can't figure out how to keep the line to get in the stadium moving, and security is run by a third party. Several years ago the concession stand immediately ran out of something the U was giving out coupons for, and Aramark handles the concessions. It almost feels like, if it is something the Athletic Department uses a third party for, their approach is "someone else handles that, so we don't need to worry about it" as opposed to "we need to proactively work with a partner who manages an integral part of the gameday experience."

 

[MaxyJR1]

Happened to me for Colorado and I was told it was oversold and to go to the Washington Ave and they let me in. Got a spot in 4th Street this pass game.

Lot 37 is a problem as well. It's dubbed a Tailgate lot, cut then they keep letting people in who are not there to tailgate or early to games. It's brutal all the cars last week trying to drive through packed isles to find open spaces. It's dangerous as well. They should sell for tailgating and also close the gate at a certain time. Must be there 2 hours before game or you won't be let in or something along those lines. Or better park cars and don't leave open stalls.

 

[A_Slab_of_Bacon]

It's been mentioned on here that PTS is bureacritaclly distinct from the Atheltic Department. Is part of the problem maybe that the Atheltic Department doesn't do a good job interacting with those partners? There have been countless customer service concerns over the years. The parking problem is handled by PTS. On another thread, the U can't figure out how to keep the line to get in the stadium moving, and security is run by a third party. Several years ago the concession stand immediately ran out of something the U was giving out coupons for, and Aramark handles the concessions. It almost feels like, if it is something the Athletic Department uses a third party for, their approach is "someone else handles that, so we don't need to worry about it" as opposed to "we need to proactively work with a partner who manages an integral part of the gameday experience."

There's got to be some interactions as some lots have been managed a lot differently / more actively / better planning than in the past.

 

[Swaggerson]

Happened to me for Colorado and I was told it was oversold and to go to the Washington Ave and they let me in. Got a spot in 4th Street this pass game.

Lot 37 is a problem as well. It's dubbed a Tailgate lot, cut then they keep letting people in who are not there to tailgate or early to games. It's brutal all the cars last week trying to drive through packed isles to find open spaces. It's dangerous as well. They should sell for tailgating and also close the gate at a certain time. Must be there 2 hours before game or you won't be let in or something along those lines. Or better park cars and don't leave open stalls.

Maxy,

Depends on how you look at the purpose of the lots. My view is that they are parking lots that allow tailgating and not tailgate lots that allow parking. I ran into the problem you mentioned in lot 37 the past several years where I would arrive 75 minutes before the game and attendants would have to squeeze me in. Sucked for everybody.

I upped my donation a bit and am now in the Minnesota lot which has assigned spots. So I can just go to spot 123 and no one else can park there. So far this has been a good solution for a non-tailgater.

 

[tjgopher]

The parking forces at the U are generally evil. It has nothing to do with athletics. PTS people don't play nice with anyone.

Years and years of disappointment with parking at the U (not just athletics, but for anything) has honestly left me less interested in being interested in the U.

I was at an event one time years ago and expressed a complaint to President Bruininks about the parking people on campus, and his answer was "Oh, I have no control over parking." And, he was as serious as he could be.

That tells you all you need to know.

 

[stocker08]

I have Oak St. passes but haven't run into them running out of spots yet. What do you even do in that situation? Will your pass work at a different ramp or are you just screwed?

I park in the Oak Street Ramp as well. I can only remember one situation in which the ramp was overflowing. We basically pulled into a striped spot as there were no open spaces. The staff was aware and made no fuss about it.

 

[A_Slab_of_Bacon]

Happened to me for Colorado and I was told it was oversold and to go to the Washington Ave and they let me in. Got a spot in 4th Street this pass game.

Lot 37 is a problem as well. It's dubbed a Tailgate lot, cut then they keep letting people in who are not there to tailgate or early to games. It's brutal all the cars last week trying to drive through packed isles to find open spaces. It's dangerous as well. They should sell for tailgating and also close the gate at a certain time. Must be there 2 hours before game or you won't be let in or something along those lines. Or better park cars and don't leave open stalls.

If everyone tailgating in Lot 37 parks and tailgates every other or every three spots or even more absurdly ... near the entrance .... then do those folks want to pay for those extra spaces if they close the lot early?


If you leave spots around you, folks gonna park there eventually ...


Its like my neighbor down the road, he's next to a beautiful farm field / forested area. It's not his field, he doesn't own it, he doesn't pay for it, but he sure is raising hell about how terrible it will be when it finally gets plowed for other houses. But it was ok when he did it ...

 

[MaxyJR1]

If everyone tailgating in Lot 37 parks and tailgates every other or every three spots or even more absurdly ... near the entrance .... then do those folks want to pay for those extra spaces if they close the lot early?


If you leave spots around you, folks gonna park there eventually ...


Its like my neighbor down the road, he's next to a beautiful farm field / forested area. It's not his field, he doesn't own it, he doesn't pay for it, but he sure is raising hell about how terrible it will be when it finally gets plowed for other houses. But it was ok when he did it ...

They need to force the tailgaters into spots, and it would leave open spots together. They let them park wherever they want and then try to direct cars to open spots which is dumb.

 

[A_Slab_of_Bacon]

They need to force the tailgaters into spots, and it would leave open spots together. They let them park wherever they want and then try to direct cars to open spots which is dumb.

Yup. Force all the tailgaters / everyone to the back corner and fill them in from there.

Tailgaters would get a lot more peace that way, nobody comes down that isle because ... it's full now. All good.

Folks who arrive later won't be driving around them and so on.

 

[Word]

Yup. Force all the tailgaters / everyone to the back corner and fill them in from there.

Tailgaters would get a lot more peace that way, nobody comes down that isle because ... it's full now. All good.

Folks who arrive later won't be driving around them and so on.

This idea would just make too much sense.

 

[GopherPoke]

I park in Church Street garage for all the games we attend. No problems in or out and plenty of spots. Could be too far away but sure doesn't seem like it is. No we don't, we park up by Surly somewhere.

 

[Gophers_4life]

One thing I wonder, if you read the fine print on the season parking passes:

are you actually purchasing a guaranteed spot in the ramp/lot? Or are you just purchasing entrances on all the game days? Hopefully clear what I mean by the difference.

 

[Word]

One thing I wonder, if you read the fine print on the season parking passes:

are you actually purchasing a guaranteed spot in the ramp/lot? Or are you just purchasing entrances on all the game days? Hopefully clear what I mean by the difference.

There is no fine print. It just says the date and time of the game.

 

[Some guy]

There is no fine print. It just says the date and time of the game.

And it’s fine. I have just learned: this will be the last year I buy a pass to a ramp. I can park in the ramp without one. I actually will end up saving money because I usually only use 3-4 of the 7 games anyways

 

[Gophers_4life]

Well, that was kind of my point. Maybe all it is, is essentially just buying 7 particular days of entrances ahead of time, and nothing more. So yeah, you could also just buy those individual and get the same thing.

 

[NotAFanOfBecky]

Yup. Force all the tailgaters / everyone to the back corner and fill them in from there.

Tailgaters would get a lot more peace that way, nobody comes down that isle because ... it's full now. All good.

Folks who arrive later won't be driving around them and so on.

I fly a lot and I always wonder why they don’t load from the back of the plane first. I get the first class thing, but after that wouldn’t it be less of a disturbance to load back to front? Any industry folks know why? This parking thing you suggested would make way too much sense.

 

[A_Slab_of_Bacon]

I fly a lot and I always wonder why they don’t load from the back of the plane first. I get the first class thing, but after that wouldn’t it be less of a disturbance to load back to front? Any industry folks know why? This parking thing you suggested would make way too much sense.

I think in that case, the plane, everyone is there at the same time. Guy can block everyone fiddling with his luggage as they’re all near each other/ trying to get past each other.

But parking plays out differently.