Shuttle bus riders may use designated parking spots at Pacific Elementary with five-hour limited parking available. (Downtown workers with Lot 1, 2, and M Permit holders are exempt from the five-hour limit.)

Parking Structure Issues at Lot 3

Of course there's always a need for a shuttle bus headed downtown, but it's particularly urgent now that the city has lost dozens of parking spaces. 

The parking spaces are temporarily gone because City Parking Lot 3, located on Morningside between 12th and Center Place, is facing some not-so-encouraging issues right now. (Side note: Can we give these lots some more descriptive names? The Morningside Lot? Hennessey's Alley Lot? Zislis Commons?)

Built in 1971, Lot 3 predates modern building codes that include crucial seismic safety measures. The city has prioritized that lot for work and is "closely monitoring its condition and weighing options for its replacement," according to a city report on Lot 3.

However, according to the same report from the city, "A 2022 seismic assessment revealed typical deficiencies for a structure of its age, particularly between the second and third levels. City engineers have regularly monitored these issues and recently observed significant degradation, including rusting steel rebar and corroding steel columns, which compromise the structural integrity of the third level and have necessitated the closure of the third floor of parking in Lot 3. Additionally, the staircases leading from the second to third level have become hazardous for pedestrians due to rusted handrails and corroded support structures."

The city shut down parking on the third level of Lot 3 as of June 24. (Side note: This is not making us feel super-excited about parking on the first or second level either, but maybe it's just us.)