RIO GRANDE CAMPUS IMPROVEMENTS
ACC is investing $33 million in improvements to its Rio Grande Campus by purchasing the facilities, constructing a parking garage at the Skill Center site, and by renovating the former AISD Gym into faculty office space (which will then end leases at Attaché Building and Peach Street offices).

Parking challenges will increase during the construction phase. While ACC is exploring possible alternative parking near the campus, the reality remains that students, faculty, and staff are strongly encouraged to consider use of area public parking garages and/or public transportation, car-pooling, bicycling, or other modes of transportation.

PARKING OVERVIEW

*During construction, there will be a temporary loss of 66 spaces, in order to create an additional 369 spaces at the conclusion of construction.

SCHEDULES
Parking spaces at the Gymnasium will be reopened soon after the abatement efforts at the Gymnasium Building and the Band Hall are completed.  This parking lot will be closed again approximately in July to allow the start of demolition work at the Gymnasium Building.  Renovation of the Gymnasium Building is expected to be complete for the start of the Fall Semester, 2009.

The Skill Center parking lot will have some parking spaces closed to allow the start of abatement of the Skill Center in mid-June.  The full lot will be closed in early July for the start of demolition of the Skill Center.  Construction of the new parking garage is expected to be complete for the Fall semester, 2009.

ALTERNATIVES
It is no secret that very little public parking is available in the vicinity of the Rio Grande campus.  What is available now is what will be available during the construction period. The College has explored acquiring additional space at:

• The parking garage near the former Whole Foods Store at 6th St and Lamar. Whole Foods has declined to rent space due to their own needs.
• St. Martin’s Church at 15th St. has declined to rent space due to their own needs.
• The City of Austin’s Recreation Center has declined to lease additional parking spaces.
• Public parking garages/lots in the downtown area. Links are provided below of these locations and public transportation routes from them to Rio Grande.  

PUBLIC PARKING OPTIONS
The link below lists numerous parking options (and maps) available in the downtown Austin area. It also lists lots that are NOT available for daily or hourly parking. State lots are typically available only in the evening, and are noted on the link.
http://www.downtownaustin.com/transportation/parking/lots?hourly 

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS
While it is understood that public transportation can add time and planning complications in getting to and from the Rio Grande Campus, the campus is well served and enjoys excellent transit service. Locations, routes, and web links are provided below:

1. Note: The Dillo service is currently under review by Cap Metro, and routes listed below may change soon.
2. The Red Dillo serves the campus from the Park and Ride at Austin High School.  http://www.capmetro.org/riding/current_schedules/MAPS/RT455_SB.PDF
3. The Gold Dillo serves the campus from the Park and Ride on Toomey Road.  http://www.capmetro.org/riding/current_schedules/MAPS/RT456_SB.PDF
4. The North Lamar / South Congress (via Metric) 1M route connects Rio Grande to the Northridge Campus, the University of Texas, the Park and Ride at the North Lamar Transit Center at Lamar and US183 and the South Transfer Center at William Cannon and Bluff Springs.  http://www.capmetro.org/riding/current_schedules/MAPS/RT001_SB.PDF
5. The Woodrow / Riverside 5/26 route connects the Rio Grande Campus to the Riverside Campus, the University of Texas and the Northcross Transfer Center.  http://www.capmetro.org/riding/current_schedules/MAPS/RT005_SB.PDF
6. The Burnet / Manchaca 3 route connects the Rio Grande Campus to the South Austin Campus (which has supplemental parking at Crockett High School), the University of Texas, the J. J. Pickle Research Center, the Northcross Transfer Center and the Arboretum area.  All of these routes serve the campus from Guadalupe and Lavaca Streets, a few blocks east of the campus. http://www.capmetro.org/riding/current_schedules/MAPS/RT003_SB.PDF
7. Numerous other routes serve the campus. Students with current school identification receive discounted fares.  Students, faculty and staff with UT identification ride free. http://www.capmetro.org/riding/schedulesandmaps.asp. http://www.capmetro.org/riding/fares_2.asp

Interestingly, nearly 1,000 students attending Rio Grande also attend at Riverside. Another 1,000 attend both Rio Grande and Northridge. Over 300 students attend both Rio Grande and South Austin Campus. 

While not everyone can take advantage of transit service every day, each time anyone at the campus (whether student, faculty or staff) chooses to ride the bus instead of driving they can:

• Save gas money;
• Let someone else do the driving;
• Text safely;
• Listen to the iPod on headphones legally;
• Read a book or newspaper;
• Grade papers;
• Work on their laptop;
• Stare out the window;
• Pity those that chose to drive their own car;
• Reduce their contribution to ACC’s carbon footprint.

It takes a long time to build a parking garage.  Changing habits can produce results immediately.

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS