Cornell University employees and commuting students who park on city streets adjacent to campus are being reminded that new city parking regulations will go into effect over the next several months. The regulations -- which will vary from block to block -- may limit daytime on-street parking to a specific period of time or side of the street, or restrict on-street parking to neighborhood residents who purchase a permit.

The concept of a residential-permit parking system in the city of Ithaca received state authorization in 1996 and was given local approval by the city's Common Council in May. The new regulations do not affect streets with metered parking spaces.

Over the past six months, council member Patricia Vaughan (D-3rd Ward) has been meeting with neighbors to explain the system. "It's democratic approach, Vaughan explained. "Neighbors can petition to participate in the program by obtaining the signatures of 51 percent of residents in the block." Proof of residency, such as a signed lease, will be required.

Residents in areas zoned R-1 and R-2 -- generally single-family units and duplexes -- will be eligible to purchase a limited number of parking permits, based on zoning. For example, residents in a one-family home may purchase up to two permits, and residents in a duplex may purchase up to four permits, regardless of the number of people in the unit. Permits will cost $45 per year.

Vaughan said permits will not be available for residents in R-3 zones, such as the more densely populated central Collegetown area, where many landlords already provide some off-street parking for their tenants for an additional fee.

The city's new parking system is in response to complaints that neighborhood streets are overrun by university commuters, among others, especially weekdays.

A parking consultant hired by the city and the university estimates that as many as 450 Cornell-related vehicles are parked daily in the Belle Sherman/Bryant Park, Collegetown and Cornell Heights neighborhoods. Another 120 commuter vehicles are attributed to employees of Belle Sherman Elementary School and Collegetown businesses and visitors.

William E. Wendt, Cornell's director of transportation services, said the city's residential parking-permit system could reduce the impact of all commuters parking in residential neighborhoods, not just those attributed to Cornell.

Where will the affected commuters park? Some argue that the city's plan will lead to a domino effect, extending commuter parking onto streets in other neighborhoods. However, several transportation and parking alternatives exist, and there is a surplus of spaces in campus lots and in the parking garages on and off campus.

On average, about 1,100 campus parking spaces go unused every day, according to the traffic consultant's report. And an informal survey conducted by merchants in Collegetown indicates that, on average, at least one-third of the 210 spaces in the city-owned parking ramp off Dryden Road are not used during the daytime.

"Cornell not only has the capacity for about three times the number of university-related vehicles that apparently are parked on streets surrounding the campus, but also has programs that enable commuters to leave their cars at home," Wendt said.

The options for employees who switch from city streets to campus parking lots include free parking in the university's "A" lot with free bus service to campus and an even better deal for employees who carpool. Options also include paid permits for central-campus locations, with reduced rates or free parking for those who participate in the university's RideShare program.

Cornell's OmniRide program provides greater benefits for participants who commute to work by TCAT or the three other public-transit lines that provide daily service from and to Chemung, Cortland, Schuyler, Seneca and Tioga counties. Runs on these routes range from one to more than 10 round-trips per day. While there is no public-transit service from Cayuga County, there are options other than driving to Ithaca. For example, commuters who live in Cayuga County can drive to park-and-ride lots in Groton or Lansing and take a bus to Ithaca. (See the accompanying list of public-transit operators and park-and-ride lots.)

Cornell's Office of Transportation Services offers affected employees and students assistance in selecting a campus parking location.

"As the city moves to restrict on-street parking in surrounding neighborhoods, we want Cornell employees and students who have been parking on residential streets to reassess their commuting choices by being aware of the many options available to them," Wendt said. "If driving to work is necessary, we have the capacity to accommodate their vehicles across campus, from the 'A' lot on North Campus to the parking garage on central campus and several other parking lots."

There's still some time before signs are installed and the city's new parking restrictions become effective. According to city council member Vaughan, residents of several city blocks on East Hill have applied for time-restricted parking, but only a handful have applied for permit parking. "Most of the blocks scheduled to participate are those where no restrictions existed previously.

As the system is implemented, it will be evaluated and fine-tuned, if necessary. When the new signs are installed, though, the Ithaca Police Department will be proactive in enforcing the parking regulations."

-30-

Who participates in Cornell's Transportation Demand programs?

Faculty/Staff OmniRide: 1,611

RideShare Participant: 1,307 (RideShare Permits: 624)

Student OmniRide: 1,340

Student campus bus pass: 1,952

(all figures as of 10/1/98)

Park-and-ride lots:

Brooktondale

Between fire house and community center, Brooktondale Road

Danby

Intersection of Gunderman Road and Route 96B

Dryden

Lots near the bus circle, Tompkins Cortland Community College

Fire house, Neptune Road

Village Hall, South Street

Freeville

Opposite Methodist church, Main Street

Groton

Across from the town barn, Conger Boulevard

Slaterville Springs

Next to Caroline town hall, Route 79

Trumansburg

Salo Drive, adjacent to Route 227

Lansing

Fire company #3, 1235 Lake Ridge Road

Fire company #4, 1189 Auburn Road

Town Hall, Route 34B Central fire company, 80 Ridge Road

West Hill

Biggs Building A (county offices), Harris B. Dates Drive

Newfield

Behind Town Hall, Main Street

Pyramid Mall

West side of mall, near Sears

Transit services originating in other counties:

Chemung County Transit

-- Horseheads-Montour Falls-Watkins Glen-Enfield

-- Elmira-Odessa-Alpine Junction

Cortland County Transit

-- Cortland-Dryden (transfer to TCAT to Ithaca)

Tioga County Public Transit

-- Owego-Candor-Danby

-- Waverly-Van Etten-Spencer

(Start/end times and frequency vary from system to system and route to route.)

Transit information is as close as your phone or computer. Call 277-RIDE, which can be used for personalized trip planning; or by E-mail TCAT@cornell.edu; the Web address is http://www.tcatbus.com