Parking in Princeton

As any student who keeps a car at school is well aware, parking around the University and in downtown Princeton is often an impossible chore. For students who want to keep their cars within usable proximity of their dorm rooms, leaving a vehicle on University Place inevitably leads to a pile of traffic tickets. Strict new Public Safety rules allow almost no on-campus parking, even with innocent motives and the promise of a quick trip. Students who might be tempted by the thought of driving their heated cars to pick up takeout on a cold night probably reconsider when they recall the trek down to Lot 23 and the lack of parking spaces at any downtown restaurant destination.

During the recent snowstorm, a number of students left their cars parked on side streets west of the University campus, understandably concerned about moving their cars to the student parking lot in the unsafe driving conditions. Once the storm passed, though, some were dismayed to find that their cars had been towed — with a now-standard $150 retrieval price for towed vehicles. All this hassle often seems to make cars at this school useless — or, at the very least, thoroughly inconvenient.

Lest we sound too spoiled, it is important to remember that the main reason for having a car on the Princeton campus is just that: simple convenience. It is not as if the distance between Henry and Robertson — considered quite a hike by many of us — is really all that burdensome. After all, moving between classes at many other universities demands far longer that the ten minute passing period we have grown accustomed to here. For dispersed campuses such as these, cars truly do become a necessity for many students.

Nevertheless, the 'Prince' supports the active dialogue in the Borough Council regarding parking in our area. Doubtlessly, changes must be made to increase parking availability in downtown Princeton — for the sake of both convenience and the continued economic viability of the area. However, any improvements to the Witherspoon St. area should be made with utmost caution and care for the historic surroundings.