Overview

The University of Iowa has begun implementing the next 10 years of facilities construction and upgrades. The projects offer long-term benefits of growth and modernization, but will cause some disruptions for students, faculty, staff, patients, and visitors. In addition to the facility projects, the campus will also see road and infrastructure construction.

This page will be continually updated with new information as projects advance and impacts change. You can find project alerts, parking reassignment details, and answers to frequently asked questions.

Last page update: May 15, 2023 

Project alerts

West Campus projects beginning spring 2023

A new state-of-the-art inpatient tower will be built on the footprint of three existing structures: Hospital Parking Ramp 1, a water tower, and the Wendell Johnson Speech and Hearing Center. Enabling projects for the new UI Health Care inpatient tower will reduce available parking in several west campus parking lots beginning late spring 2023. Some constructions projects with impacts to parking are already underway on the west campus including the Goschke Family Wrestling Training Center and the associated utility project. 

Learn more about the impacts of construction to parking by tapping on the tab below.

Parking lots impacted by construction spring 2023 through 2025

 

Lots 33 and 40 

Dental 

Lot 14 

South Quad 

Lot 43 

Kinnick 

Lot 75 

Arena 

Project 

ENGIE Utility Project  

West campus academic building 

Hawkeye Parking Ramp 

New water tower  

Enabling project 

Goschke Family Wrestling Training Center   

Demolition of Wendell Johnson Speech and Hearing Center 

Demolition of Hospital Parking Ramp 1 

Demolition of existing water tower  

Will provide 

 

New wrestling training facility 

 

New home for Wendell Johnson Speech and Hearing Center and others 

New ramp providing about 900 parking spaces for university faculty and staff 

Meets needs of increased capacity on the west campus 

Approximate parking space loss during construction 

199 

222 

475 - 527 

160 - 250 

rendering of new parking ramp looking south showing tiger hawk logo on parking ramp exterior, Kinnick Stadium to the south, and UI Hospitals & Clinics to the east

Rendering of new Hawkeye Ramp that will be constructed in north of the West Campus Transportation Center in Parking Lot 43, Kinnick

Parking reassignments  

Construction projects impacting parking lots will require changes to parking assignments throughout the west campus. While any change to parking is hard, these construction projects will have a long-term benefit for our patients, faculty, staff, and students.

The majority of reassignments will begin the week of May 29 with some additional reassignments this fall due to the water tower project. Adjustments will be made as needed, and your patience is appreciated.

Please do not use Hospital Parking Ramps 1, 2, or 4 as a parking alternative. It is important that these ramps maintain space for UI Hospitals & Clinics patients and visitors.

In alignment with the waitlist process, seniority will determine which permit holders are reassigned to the next closest parking facility. All permit holders in Parking Lots 43 (Kinnick), Parking Lot 65 (Finkbine Commuter), and Parking Lot 75 (Arena) will receive notices via email the week of April 24 with their assignment information. In addition to email, the permit holders reassigned will also receive a letter via US postal mail to help ensure they see this important information.

Due to construction of the West Campus Academic Building, all Parking Lot 14 permit holders will be reassigned. 

Permit holders will receive notices via email the week of April 24 with their assignment information. In addition to email, the permit holders reassigned will also receive a letter via US postal mail to help ensure they see this important information.

Due to the underground utility project near Carver-Hawkeye Arena and Dental Science Building, a portion of Parking Lot 40 permit holders will be reassigned to nearby parking facilities.

As the project progresses, the total number of permit holders reassigned from Parking Lot 40 will be adjusted as needed. Permit holders will be notified via email with as much notice as possible.

Have a question about employee call back parking?

Frequently asked questions

When will the Hawkeye Ramp be complete and reassignments end? 

The project is expected to be completed in 2025 barring any unforeseen delays. Reassigned permit holders will be notified when they can return to their previous parking lot. 

Why can’t the university build more parking? 

Many solutions have been explored over the past year to reduce the impacts to parking, including quickly building additional parking capacity, and opportunities for expansion are still being evaluated. At least one location, Parking Lot 48 – Myrtle, is being expanded and offered as an alternative location.

Will the West Campus Transportation Center (WCTC) be impacted?  

The West Campus Transportation Center and skywalk will remain open and accessible during construction. During the summer of 2023, Lot 43 Drive North will be closed to traffic and accessible only to southbound CAMBUS routes. CAMBUS routes will detour during the Lot 43 Drive North construction period. 

How was it decided who was being reassigned?

The faculty and staff parking assignment policy is the inspiration for how reassignments were made: alternating faculty and staff based on most recent seniority dates.  Permit holders were reassigned to the next closest parking lot to keep the most senior permit holders as close as possible.  

Permits designated for the GME program were not reassigned. 

How will I be notified if I am reassigned? 

All permit holders in Parking Lots 43-Kinnick, 65-Finkbine Commuter, and 75-Arena will be notified by email the week of April 24. The email will either provide your reassignment location or confirmation that you will remain in your current parking lot. If you are reassigned, you will also receive a letter to your home address to make sure you don’t miss this important information.

What happens if I ignore reassignment and continue parking in my original lot? 

We recognize the reassignments are inconvenient, but they are necessary in response to construction. If you fail to park in the location you have been assigned, you will be ticketed, and your permit may be revoked.

What if my parking location is not mentioned in the reassignments? 

If your parking lot was not listed in the information, then your permit will not be impacted by construction and the related reassignments. Road construction and traffic may cause delays traveling throughout the West Campus from spring 2023 to fall 2023. 

Will parking permit fees be discounted during reassignments?  

Parking and Transportation is a self-supporting unit, and all parking accommodations and maintenance are funded through user fees. We recognize the reassignments are inconvenient, but we cannot discount parking and continue to meet the operational costs of the parking system and the debt service ratio for bonds. We are offering permit holders the option of a free bus pass for Iowa City Transit, Coralville Transit, and 380 Express instead of a parking reassignment. 

How much will my parking permit cost? 

The cost you will be charged will be adjusted to reflect the permit rate of your reassignment location. 

Example: You are currently a permit holder in Parking Lot 43, Kinnick and it is a surface A rate parking lot. Your reassignment location is Parking Lot 75, Arena and it is a surface B rate parking lot. Your monthly parking permit cost will be the surface B rate

What if I forget or park in the wrong parking lot? 

We recognize that a permit reassignment is an adjustment to your normal routine. Parking enforcement will use educational warnings the first week to remind employees of their new assignment.  

Parking Ramps 1, 2 and 4 will be enforced as usual to ensure adequate parking space for patients. Please do not use these facilities Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. unless attending your health care appointment.  

Will there be enough CAMBUS service? 

CAMBUS monitors boarding activity across campus and assigns service based on demand and capacity. CAMBUS will continue to monitor boarding activity at parking lots impacted by the reassignments to determine if changes in CAMBUS service, including adding bus frequency, is needed. 

Riders can view complete route maps and schedules here. Riders are encouraged to use the Transit mobile app to see live bus locations and receive service alerts. 

What is my seniority date? 

The date you start your permanent position at the university establishes your seniority for parking permit waitlists.  

If you transitioned to a university position from a program such as Graduate Medical Education (GME), your seniority date is your permanent position start date, NOT the date you entered the program. 

If permit holders cancel or leave the university, will reassigned permit holders be offered those spaces? 

Yes. If space opens in Parking Lots 43, 65, or 75, we will give priority to relocated permit holders that were reassigned based upon seniority.  

Waitlist offers to return early back to your original parking lot will be sent to your email through the parking waitlist system. You have seven days to accept the offer through the waitlist program.  Please try to regularly check your email for waitlist offers and updates or alerts about construction near your parking lot. 

Will the waitlist process change due to construction? 

Waitlists for Parking Lot 43, 65, and 75 will continue to accept new requests; however, as space becomes available, reassigned permit holders will be prioritized for waitlist offers back to their previous parking lot based upon their seniority. Once all reassigned permit holders have been offered a return, then regular waitlist offers will resume. It is anticipated that the majority of reassignment will be in place through 2025. 

Can I choose to be reassigned to Parking Lot 55, Hancher? 

The alternative locations – including Parking Lots 48, 55, and 73 – will be offered based upon seniority as space allows. Please note you will pay the permit rate of the lot you pick. Please see the alternative choices section of this webpage for complete details of location, cost, and transportation service. 

Beginning April 25, a form will be available on the Parking and Transportation website for reassigned permit holders to express their preference for one of the alternative options. Permit holders should submit the form by May 9. Offers for alternative parking lots will be made beginning May 10.  

I’d rather take the bus during the construction period than park in a reassigned lot. Will you pay for my bus pass?

Yes, if permit holders are being displaced from their parking assignment during the construction period. Bus passes – including Iowa City Transit, Coralville Transit, and 380 Express – are being offered as a strategy to help reduce parking demand in the affected parking lots.

If I pick an alternative selection, but my work or life circumstances change, can I take a parking reassignment at that time? 

If you opted for no parking, and need daytime parking you can request parking in one of the open parking lots through the waitlist. The open parking lot options depend upon available space at that time.