CIRCULATION AND PARKING

The campus requires an academic environment for contemplation and interaction violated as little as possible by auto traffic. As campus facilities grow, carefully planned roadways, pedestrian and bicycle paths, and parking lots will be needed in order to promote efficiency and maintain much of the tranquility and many of the natural amenities of the campus (see Figure 10 for an illustration of vehicle circulation routes). Flat land for new buildings, social and recreational areas, and natural areas must also be reserved. The following circulation and parking elements serve these goals.

NEW ROADS 16,800 LINEAR FEET

Four major roadway improvements are proposed under this plan. The development of an extension of Meyer Drive to Hagar Drive (requiring the construction of a bridge across Jordan Gulch) is proposed to serve as an alternate east-west route across campus, relieving traffic congestion on McLaughlin and completing a loop road system around the central campus. A second extension of Meyer Drive, from Hagar Drive to Coolidge Drive, would be built if an eastern access roadway is constructed to the campus. This extension would be sited to allow easy access to most community-oriented events. A loop road is proposed to provide a northern route across campus, reducing the necessity of using McLaughlin Drive for cross-campus vehicle trips. A second western entrance and a spur road providing a connection with the northern loop road is proposed to allow access to north campus developments directly from Empire Grade. The development of this access would require the construction of a bridge across Cave Gulch (see Figure 9).

With the closure of Steinhart Way to service vehicles, all Campus Core buildings will be serviced by spur roads originating along McLaughlin, Heller, Meyer, and Hagar drives. When the northern loop road is complete, it may be desirable to close McLaughlin Drive to private vehicular traffic in order to increase safety and facilitate the movement of pedestrians, bicycles, and public transit. Vehicular access to new facilities located along McLaughlin Drive should be provided from Chinquapin Road or Heller Drive wherever feasible.

PARKING 3,887 SPACES

In order to serve the needs of faculty, staff, and students and fulfill the programmatic needs of the campus while preserving the natural setting of the campus to the maximum extent feasible, the development of as many as 3,887 new close-in and remote parking spaces is proposed. [38] The ratio of parking spaces to a specific, parking-eligible population is a standard benchmark for determining the maximum number of new parking spaces to be constructed as the population grows. The following parking guidelines, generally derived from the actual campus parking ratios in the 1985-86 academic year, will be the basis for the provision of new parking spaces on campus:

The application of these parking ratios could result in the construction of the 3,887 additional remote and close-in parking spaces discussed above. In addition, new close-in parking (in surface lots or in parking structures) may be developed to replace spaces supplanted by the construction of new buildings.

The development of remote parking facilities is proposed in four areas, which total 24.9 acres, designated Remote Parking Lots in this LRDP. The development of close-in parking in both surface lots and parking structures (as discussed below) is proposed in other areas scheduled for development, including the Campus Core, Colleges and Graduate Student Housing, Physical Recreation and Recreation, Family Student Housing, and Inclusion Areas. Most new full-day parking (whether in surface lots or structures) will be constructed near loop roads, with shuttle service provided, in order to minimize vehicular traffic within the central campus.

The existing East and West Remote Lots will remain in use. The North Remote Lot would be removed if the site were used for College and Graduate Student Housing development. A northwest remote lot and a northeast remote lot are proposed for development when demand warrants. These lots will not be conveniently located for commuter access and are intended primarily to serve the long-term parking needs of campus residents.

An estimated 3.6 acres of land is available in the Campus Core to accommodate parking lots and structures. In order to reduce the amount of central campus land utilized for close-in parking, as many as two centrally located parking structures with as many as 750 spaces each may be provided, one south of the Hahn Student Services building and one southeast of the McLaughlin/Heller intersection. These will be financed by fees paid for all close-in parking facilities. Demand for close-in parking will be reduced by providing inexpensive remote parking with convenient shuttle service. In addition, close-in parking permits will not be available to undergraduate students, [41] and the number and type of remote parking permits issued to dormitory residents, especially first-time freshpersons, will be limited.

The following phased parking strategy will be implemented.

PEDESTRIAN CIRCULATION

The pedestrian system at UCSC consists of pathways through the forests and grasslands and roadways shared with automobiles, service vehicles and bicycles. As new facilities are planned and constructed, the UC Santa Cruz pedestrian network will be augmented to reduce conflicts and promote pedestrian travel. Where appropriate, sidewalks and grade-separated walkways will be provided to separate pedestrians from autos and bicycles. Alternative pathways that allow efficient, convenient pedestrian travel between campus buildings will be developed. Sidewalks and other pedestrian pathways will be maximally accessible to persons with physical disabilities.

The geographic center of the campus and the focus of non-college activity lies along Steinhart Way between Hagar Drive and the Kerr Hall/Natural Science area. This important pedestrian route connects McHenry Library, the science area, Kerr Hall, and the east and west colleges. Although it now functions as a primary pedestrian pathway, it serves only a few destinations, and pedestrians must share the roadway with shuttle buses and service vehicles. As development in the central area of the campus is intensified, this corridor will become a "pedestrian spine" of special importance for pedestrian circulation. Most destinations within the Campus Core can be reached either directly from this corridor or indirectly via pathways and courtyards. Although the core will contain major program components, structures along Steinhart Way should be limited to two or three stories, to support a pedestrian-style corridor.

In order to create a true pedestrian spine, vehicular traffic will be discouraged along Steinhart Way. With the completion of the Meyer Drive extension connecting Hagar and Heller drives, a loop will be formed around the central campus from which spur roads will provide service access to Campus Core buildings. It is anticipated that shuttle service will also be provided along this route. As a result, virtually all vehicular traffic (except for emergency vehicles and perhaps a nighttime shuttle to McHenry Library) can be removed from Steinhart Way. Steinhart Way is sufficiently wide to accommodate bicycles and pedestrians, but it is proposed that a separate bicycle pathway be designated for added safety.

Four principal pedestrian activity areas are recognized and will be considered for further development. The first three--the Whole Earth Restaurant/parking lot, McHenry Library, and an area in the science complex--are junctions of pedestrian routes and the centers of major concentrations of people during the day. The fourth activity area, the site of the Student Center overlooking the Great Meadow, has not yet been developed. Part of the planning for these four areas will include design elements that will enhance their usefulness as pedestrian activity centers.

BICYCLE CIRCULATION

The campus will encourage the use of bicycles as an alternative to automobiles for intra-campus travel. Where topography permits, it is also proposed that bicycle lanes be developed on new roads built on campus and on existing roads when they are repaved. It is proposed that the existing campus bicycle path be realigned near the south campus entrance to improve safety conditions in that area (the specific alignment of which will be determined in a future study). Additional Class I bicycle paths (8-foot minimum width, separate from roadways) are recommended throughout the campus, especially to improve bicycle access to the east side of campus and the restricted foot/bicycle entrance near the Cardiff House.

Class II bike lanes (one-way, 5-foot minimum width, striped lanes along campus roads) are proposed along Hagar, Heller, Coolidge, and Meyer drives where topography permits. Where sufficient space does not exist for a bike lane, alternative routes, such as separate bicycle paths, are proposed. Where a separation of bicycles and pedestrians is warranted, such as along Steinhart Way, distinct pedestrian and bicycle lanes should be clearly marked. In the interest of safety, certain paths should be designated exclusively as pedestrian paths and the use of bicycles on these paths should be prohibited.

To increase bicycle safety, pathways and lanes should be adequately lit, signed, and marked, and reflectors should be installed along Class I bikeways. Mopeds (motorized bicycles) will be restricted to the far right shoulder of roadways, and, where steep roadways include a Class II bike lane, it is proposed that uphill bike lanes be eight feet wide to accommodate both moped and bicycle traffic.

If feasible, a shuttle bus equipped with a bike rack will loop from the main campus entrance to the central campus and other campus locations. Such shuttle service would foster bicycle use by those unlikely to ride the entire uphill distance to the Campus Core. In addition, it is proposed that bicycle parking facilities be provided at all major buildings and gathering places and that bicycle lockers be provided to encourage dormitory residents to use bicycles. Additional amenities such as personal lockers, showers, and discount prices on bicycle equipment should also be provided.

 

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