Parking Wars

I guess this is progress. Apparently winning a couple of ACC games has generated significant increase in interest in Duke football, prompting yet another tweak to the Public Parking options for football games this fall, the second one in two years. New parking map is here. Here is a trip down memory lane – an inventory of parking lots over the last twenty years we have used.

 

2009. Last year, after my old lot was reserved for Iron Dukes (boosters), I stumbled into (what I thought was) an awesome lot on Duke University Road between Eden and Chapel Drives. About the only downside to this lot was the surface: gravel and dirt. But it was only about an 10 minute walk to the stadium and was tucked right into the woods, perfect for tailgating and very secluded.

The old RV lot was a grass lot at the intersection of Duke University Rd and Wannamaker Drive. We parked there last year when Rich and crew came down for the rain-soaked Maryland game. For such a premier location, that lot always seems to be under utilized. This year, that lot is restricted to Iron Dukes only and the new RV (excuse me oversized vehicles as Duke calls them) lot has been moved up to the two gravel lots on Duke University Road, thus displacing me.

1998 – 2008. We used the 751 Lot for over a decade, preferring the back part of the lot where a ring of trees separated the public parking from the Dave Thomas School of Business lot. The best attributes of this lot were the easy access to the stadium (using Frank Bassett Drive) and the easy access from NC 751. This lot was also reserved for Iron Dukes in 2009.

1990-1997. Hard to believe, but not so long ago, the lots on the East side of Wannamaker Drive, adjacent to the stadium, used to be Public Parking. Obviously great access, but of the lots we have used, these were the toughest from a traffic perspective after the game.

What About 2010? This year it looks like the best option is going to be the “Chemistry Lot” where Circuit Dr and Towerview Rd intersect. We tried this lot out last year for the Wake Forest game and it is about a 10-15 minute walk to the stadium. Not too bad.

Other tidbits from the updated Gameday Guide for 2010.

• Parking has increased from $5.00 to $10.00 this year. (I buy two spots, one for the Civic and one for the tailgate canopy so that means I will be forking over $20.00 this year.) Tough to complain about that bump when the price of parking didn’t increase for 20 years.
• Oversized vehicle parking is now $50.00 (up from $40.00 last year). For the Alabama game, that is going to be $110.00 (chuckle).
• Lots open same time as last year (4 hours prior to kickoff for Public Lots, 5 hours for Iron Dukes Lots)
• Be aware that there are new traffic flows being instituted and there are now Iron Duke checkpoints that will be enforced on certain roads (3 hours prior to kickoff). That means that you will need an Iron Dukes Parking Pass for example to get into West Campus from Towerview, 751, Duke University Road, or Erwin Road.

Should be interesting to see how this all works out when the Tide rolls into town in a couple of weeks.