By the end of the week, parking meters along Phillip Fulmer Way should be gone and work started to convert most of those spaces to commuter parking.
The university has taken ownership of Phillip Fulmer Way, Peyton Manning Pass and Tee Martin Drive. The streets previously were owned by the city of Knoxville.
Curbside parking spaces on Phillip Fulmer Way between Peyton Manning Pass and Thompson-Boling Arena will be converted to parking for commuter students. A few spaces in front of the arena will be short-term public parking for the convenience of customers picking up tickets at the box office window.
As in the past, there will continue to be restrictions on parking along Phillip Fulmer Way on days when special events are held at the arena, in order to maintain the necessary level of security and safe traffic flow.
“With the conversion of metered parking to commuter parking on Phillip Fulmer Way, students who drive in to campus each day will see a net increase in the amount of parking on campus,” said Jeff Maples, senior associate vice chancellor for finance and administration.
The decision to transfer ownership of the streets from the city of Knoxville to the university was made for several reasons, Maples said.
“We’ve got so many major construction projects on campus over the next five years that this helps streamline the process,” Maples said. “Owning the streets lets us make decisions and take action more quickly.”
The next phase of the big Student Union project, the demolition of the University Center parking garage, begins March 17.
For more information on the Student Union project and other campus construction projects, visit conezone.utk.edu.