Five-Year Plan: 2023-2028
- Engages with the University community through outreach efforts
- Evaluates existing operations and technology and identifies efficiencies and opportunities
- Develops strategies to address University and UNC Health development and programmatic growth
- Ensures that necessary revenue is in place to support existing and near-term transportation system costs
Nationally recognized consultants, Kimley-Horn and Associates Inc., provided guidance and analysis for the Transportation and Parking Five-Year Plan, while the campus-wide representatives on the Advisory Committee on Transportation and Parking (ACT) provided input during the year-long planning process. ACT members and other campus community members will continue to be involved in discussions about implementation plans and progress over the next five years.
What Does the Five-Year Plan fund?
- Fare-free service to Chapel Hill Transit riders
- Subsidies for regional transit and vanpool commuters
- Point-to-Point (P2P) services
- Operating expenses for parking including inflationary increases
- Capital construction and maintenance of parking facilities
- System enhancements, such as fare-free regional transit for residential students, license plate recognition for parking access, a parking guidance system for patient/visitor parking, P2P vehicle tracking, CCTV system upgrades and expansion, LED lighting, and bike and mobility device infrastructure.
What Changes Are In This Five-Year Plan?
- Simplified employee and student parking permit structure
- Employee pricing scale that represents a similar proportionate cost for employees
- Annual permit pricing changes occur first year then remains flat
- Departmental transportation fee increases first year then remains flat
- Student transportation fee increases the second year then remains flat
- Visitor and event rate increases graduated over the course of the five-year plan
- Updates to department allocation model
- Implementation of campus and parking enhancements
Regional Transit for Resident Students
Expand regional transit access through GoTriangle to residential students. This expanded access will allow students living within the Chapel Hill Transit service area to obtain a free GoPass.
Planned Implementation: FY25
License Plate Recognition Technology
License plate recognition technology installed in parking facilities reduces the need for mobile enforcement.
Planned Implementation: Decks and gated surface lots completed first quarter FY25, priority lots planned FY27.
Dogwood Deck Parking Guidance Technology
Parking guidance technology uses sensors, cameras and signage to detect and monitor parking space occupancy and relay information on space availability to drivers through signage.
Planned Implementation: Fourth quarter FY25
P2P Vehicle Tracking
Online and app-based transit locating system will provide real-time tracking of P2P vehicles and reservation capabilities for ADA on-demand services.
Planned Implementation: FY25
CCTV Cameras in Parking Decks
Upgrade existing parking cameras and expand coverage for parking, traffic management and security
Planned Implementation: Upgrade existing systems FY25, expansion to new locations FY27.
LED Lighting
LED lighting reduces maintenance and utility costs while providing better illumination and visibility.
Planned Implementation: Lighting in Business School and McCauley decks upgraded FY27.
Maintenance Plan
Maintenance repairs will follow a priority system outlined in the Capital Asset Maintenance Plan, considering facility type and repair type.
Planned Implementation: FY25-FY29
Employee Parking
- Employee permit pricing reduced form 72 to 13 pricing points.
- Expands employee salary scales for more proportionate percentage-based cost. New rates equate to an average of 1% of salary range midpoints.
- Flat rate of $200 for park and ride, weeknight, motorcycle, scooters (licensed) and retiree parking.
| Permit Type | Scale | Salary Scale (in thousands) |
Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Employee Weeknight Electric Vehicle Charging Park and Ride Motorcycle | Motorized Two-Wheeled Vehicle Retired Faculty/Staff-ALG |
Flat | — | $200 |
| Zoned Permits | 1 | < $40 | $350 |
| 2 | $40 ≤ $50 | $450 | |
| 3 | $50 ≤ $60 | $550 | |
| 4 | $60 ≤ $70 | $650 | |
| 5 | $70 ≤ $80 | $750 | |
| 6 | $80 ≤ $90 | $850 | |
| 7 | $90 ≤ $100 | $950 | |
| 8 | $100 ≤ $150 | $1,250 | |
| 9 | $150 ≤ $200 | $1,750 | |
| 10 | > $200 | $2,250 | |
| All Access | Reserved | Flat | — | $3,000 |
| ALG | Flat | — | $4,780 |
Student Parking
- Permit pricing reduced from 10 to 4 pricing points.
- Flat rate of $200 for park and ride, weeknight and motorcycle parking.
| Permit Type | Full Year | Academic Year | Summer Semester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Park and Ride Motorcycle Motorized Two-Wheeled Vehicle Electric Vehicle Charging Permit |
$200 | $158 | $42 |
| RR (Estes Drive) | — | $260 | — |
| Zone Student Permits | $512 | $405 | $107 |
Departments will be consolidated into major operating units (MOUs). Starting August 2025, allocation of parking to MOUs will allow unit leadership to distribute parking resources to meet the unit’s mission and goals and minimize annual disruptive reassignment of parking assets within the major unit.
- Evaluation of parking demand based on data that reflects the unit’s remote work sites and hybrid scheduling will ensure parking assets are distributed based on optimal utilization.
- The University waitlist will be eliminated, and any available parking will be allocated to MOUs for reassignment.
- After the initial allocation model evaluation and update, campus parking will be evaluated on a bi-annual basis.
Employees who park three days or less weekly are eligible for the daily parking option. An employee may opt for the following daily options:
Department Allocated Daily Parking
Coordinators can assign a daily parking option from the department’s parking allocation.
- Coordinators must verify the employee’s work schedule. The allocation will be impacted by the percentage of use. For example:
- Three days per week = 60% of a full allocation = full zone allocation
- Two days per week = 40% of a full allocation = half zone allocations
- Employees receive a ParkMobile code to activate and pay for a parking session.
Campus Daily and Hourly Parking Options
The parking options do not require a department’s allocation assignment. Options and rates:
- ParkMobile Daily (daily rate) at Skipper Bowles Lot (S11), Park Place (N5) and Nash Lot (N7). Sold on first-come, first-serve basis per the established availability.
- Metered parking on South Road and Country Club Road.
- Hourly parking at Rams Head Deck and the Raleigh Road Visitor Lot.
| Fee Type | Year One FY25 |
Year Two FY26 |
Year Three FY27 |
Year Four FY28 |
Year Five FY29 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student Transportation Fees | Increase to $237.54 | No Change | |||
| Departmental Transportation Fees | Increase to $3,379 per $1M in payroll | No Change | |||
| Employee | Consolidation + Implementation | No Change | |||
| Student Parking | Consolidation + Implementation | No Change | |||
| Event Parking | Increase parking to $20 and increase maximum to $100 | ||||
| Visitor Parking | No Change | Increase South Campus to $1.75 = $50 fee. Daily rate goes to $12. | |||
| Service Parking | Two price points: $100/$675 | No Change | |||
| Daily/Flex Parking | Single Price: $8.00 |
No Change | Single Price: $9.00 |
No Change | |
Safety
Provide adequate and safe access for all who need to come to campus.
- Develop seamless and safe access for all who come to campus.
- Create positive transportation experiences for persons of all abilities.
- Proactively update signage and markings for parking access.
- Operate clean and well-maintained parking facilities.
- Provide adequate on-campus parking for visitors and hospital patients.
Sustainability
Develop a financially and environmentally sustainable, adaptable and resilient multimodal transportation system.
- Coordinate with sustainability organizations on campus to incorporate state of the art practices for sustainable transportation and parking practices.
- Incentivize the use of alternative modes of transportation to mitigate parking needs, reduce traffic and minimize the environmental impacts of driving.
- Promote adaptable and resilient transportation demand management programs and strategies to shift travel demand.
Support
Integrate Transportation and Parking’s planning to align with the Campus Master Plan and other regulatory requirements.
- Maintain partnerships with neighboring jurisdictions to develop and collaborate on plans and regulations with the goal of creating frictionless mobility.
- Maintain a transportation and parking system that effectively utilizes parking resources while requiring commuting alternatives to driving alone to campus.
Self-Funding
The department is receipt supported and must act with fiscal stewardship for the maintenance and evolution of the transportation system.
- Ensure adequate revenue to maintain a financially sustainable system while prioritizing affordability to users.
- Maintain cost-effective operations to minimize revenue needs.
- Pursuant to North Carolina General Statute GS 116.1.6, the department must remain receipt supported.
Equity
Develop procedures, policies and programs that promote equitable transportation and parking opportunities.
- Consolidate department allocation model for more consistency in employee permit assignment practices.
- Assess and adjust the parking sliding scale bands as appropriate with each five-year plan.
- Evaluate and optimize the process for obtaining medical mobility accommodations.
- Collaborate with student leadership to improve hardship permit process and communications.
Communication
Provide timely, transparent and open communication regarding the transportation system and encourage community feedback.
- Maintain regular communication with the campus community to inform users of policies, regulations and system changes.
- Collaborate with University communicators to disseminate clear and transparent information about how the department is funded and policies governing pricing, allocation and distribution.
- Provide opportunities for the public to submit feedback regarding the system through Transportation and Parking forums, the Five-Year Plan, and an online comment form.
- When will the new Transportation and Parking Five-Year Plan launch?
- The Five-Year Plan covers 2023-2028. Changes and enhancements will be implemented through FY 2028-29.
- Where can I find a copy of the Five-Year Plan Final Report?
- The 2023-2028 Five-Year Plan Final Report will be finalized soon and published on the Transportation and Parking website.
- Why was the employee parking permit structure changed?
- The previous structure was confusing and had too many pricing points. The new structure expands salary scales for a more proportionate percentage-based cost. New rates equate to an average of 1% of salary range midpoints.