One of the main complaints about Drexel that I constantly hear is parking. How am I going to find a spot? There is no where to go, unless I park far away where it could be vandalized. Drexel should get us more parking. It’s their fault!

What I think students fail to realize is that Drexel is NOT responsible for street parking. That is controlled by the city, or more directly, by the Philadelphia Parking Authority (PPA). They decide what legal street parking spots are and where spots are metered, free, or permit-only. They also decide the hours. Drexel is NOT responsible for getting students free parking or any kind of street parking for that matter.

Students say, well shouldn’t the university do something about it? Shouldn’t they create more parking? I was sitting in a town hall meeting with President Papadakis last summer, and he was asked about parking. A student claimed that there is a HUGE DEMAND for it that the university is ignoring (and I agreed with him at the time). Papadakis replied that there actually isn’t a demand because Drexel has over 15 surface parking lots and also the parking garage and since the renovation for that was completed, a waiting list wasn’t needed anymore for DREXEL parking (as of that town hall meeting).

I know that I try to park for free on Powelton Avenue, and its very frustrating (at least on a weekday), but this was a point that really drove home for me and made me realize its not Drexel’s fault. Drexel doesn’t own the streets (unlike colleges in rural areas which usually do), and so they can’t give street parking. They can only give lots and garages, and they do and it doesn’t have a waiting list, meaning anyone who applies for it gets it immediately. Therefore, there isn’t a parking problem on campus and until the demand increases and the university doesn’t promptly react, will there be a problem that Drexel needs to address.

Source and photo: Drexel Parking Services