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Construction Alters Parking Areas, Traffic Flow

Parking Map 2015

Click on the image to see a full-size map of preferred routes to parking lots or download a printable PDF. More information and other parking maps can be found on the Parking and Transportation website.

UT Dallas students, faculty and staff will need to allow extra time and plan accordingly to reach their destinations this fall as summer construction projects have significantly changed parking areas and traffic flow on campus. 

During the summer, several parking lots, including A, B, C and D, have been renovated and restriped. Drivers will need to use caution and follow the arrows in lots A, B, C and D, which have one-way traffic lanes in some areas. E-parking was eliminated and converted to green spaces, and striping for other colors also has been adjusted. As the campus grows, multistory parking structures and academic buildings are supplanting inner surface parking lots, moving them farther out.

Getting Directed

Maps: For best routes to campus, click here. For permit color locations, click here. For Comet Cab routes, click here.

Buy permits: Parking permits are available in the Parking Office (PS3), the Bursar Office (SSB 2.300) or online. For more information, visit the parking website, or call 972-883-2344.

Avoid citations: A grace period for those without permits in green spaces and on-campus residential parking spots will end Wednesday, Sept. 9.

The Lookout Drive entrance to Lot G has also reopened, and spaces in Parking Structure 3 have been restriped.

In September, Lot I, west of the Clark Center, will close to start the construction of a 383,500-square-foot parking structure that will have 1,150 spaces for the start of fall 2016. The structure, whose main entrance will be on Drive H, will feature energy-efficient LED lighting, three elevators and two separate entrance and exit ramps to ease traffic flow. The project will include the installation of utility lines and the widening of Drives A and H. 

Lot E, a new temporary lot with 180 spaces for handicap, gold, orange and purple permit holders, has been built east of the Eugene McDermott Library to help ease the transition of spaces being repurposed during construction. New green parallel parking spaces will also be available along Armstrong Drive.

In addition, a gravel lot west of Lot T has been added for overflow parking. The lot, whose entrance is off Waterview Parkway, cannot be accessed through Lot T. Gravel overflow parking also will be available in Lot U later this fall. 

Comet Cabs, a free, on-campus shuttle service, will be operating from the outer parking lots to the center of campus along its five routes. Anyone wanting to catch a ride can wave down a Comet Cab at any safe point along its route — such as a crosswalk or stop sign — and be dropped off at any safe point on its circuit. Check out the routes here. Follow @UTDCometCab and @UTDallasParking on Twitter for updates and changes.

Lot B

Lot B is one of the outer parking lots on campus that has changed significantly over the summer. The Loop Road expansion, which includes a new four-way stop at Lookout Drive, runs through lots A, B, C and D. Commuters needing to get from the outer parking lots to their classes can catch a ride on Comet Cabs. All the cab routes can be found here.

Road Construction

The Loop Road expansion project is nearly complete. The largest section of the expansion is open, and runs through lots A, B, C and D and Lookout Drive, forming a new connection to Parking Structure 1 and the south end of campus. Drivers turning onto Lookout will need to watch for a new four-way stop at the Loop Road expansion. The remaining section of the project, which includes a new bridge connection from Lot A, will open later this fall. 

What’s New at UT Dallas

Read about other recent additions, back-to-school information and events:

A new campus entrance also was finished at Waterview Parkway and Loop Road, near Residence Hall West. However, that entrance is closed during residential move-ins. Waterview also has new bike and turn lanes that have been added by the city of Richardson. 

Motorists heading to Parking Structure 3 should use Rutford Avenue or the new Waterview-Loop Road entrance. Due to construction activity, they should avoid Facilities Way. Synergy Park Boulevard will have various lane closures as crews build turn lanes and property entrances for the Northside project. Watch for construction workers and barricades in the area.

Find Your Spot on Twitter

Get live updates on which parking lots are full and where spaces are available during the first few days of school by following @UTDallasParking on Twitter.

Transportation Options 

Comet Cruiser 

The Comet Cruiser (DART Route 883) serves UT Dallas and the surrounding community. During the first two weeks of the fall semester, there will be increased capacity on routes to meet demand. Weekend service also has increased with buses making stops every 20 minutes. See the schedule and route on the Cruiser’s website, and follow @UTDCometCruiser on Twitter for timely service updates.Additionally, students can apply for a DART Student Transit Pass that allows users to ride Dallas Area Rapid Transit buses and trains, plus the Trinity Railway Express from Union Station to CentrePort/DFW Airport Station (TRE Zone 1).

Zipcar

Zipcar is a car-sharing service that allows students, faculty, staff and departments to set up online accounts to rent cars by the hour from six locations: the south side of Lot T; the intersection of Drives A and H; University Village, northeast corner of Phase 9; University Village, southwest corner of Phase 8; University Village southwest corner of Phase 2; and the intersection of McCallum Boulevard and Dickerson Street.

Bicycles

Remember to practice proper bike safety and secure your bicycle to bike racks only with a cable lock when not in use. If you are living in University Housing and want to park your bicycle at the racks near where you live, it must be registered. 

Also, the University is working with Zagster to provide an on-campus bike-sharing program later in the fall semester. 

Other Wheels 

Roller skates, in-line skates and skateboards are allowed on campus as long as they are used safely. Motorized scooters or motorized personal transportation devices are prohibited from being driven on University sidewalks, streets, parking lots or parking structures unless authorized by the Office of Student AccessAbility or Office of Human Resources as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act or other federal law. 

Safety Tips

• Always use crosswalks when crossing the street. Drivers approaching an intersection must stop for pedestrians in the crosswalk. 

• Cyclists and skateboarders should follow the flow of pedestrians on pathways and traffic on roads, and stop at stop signs. 

• Campus Safety Escort: This free service is available 24/7 for students, employees and visitors. An officer, public safety officer or student employee will respond and escort you to your destination. Call 972-883-2222. 

• Make sure you have a current cellphone number in Galaxy so you can receive UTDAlert, which sends texts in the event of an emergency or disruption to normal University operations. In the case of an emergency or weather incident, monitor the University home page, Facebook and Twitter for information. 

Media Contact: The Office of Media Relations, UT Dallas, (972) 883-2155, [email protected].

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