Murfreesboro: MTSU Campus Construction Projects

[Relient J]

Since at least Spring, MTSU has been working on the construction of a large parking lot across Rutherford Blvd. from the campus in addition to beautifying the entrances to campus off of Rutherford Blvd. I've had a hard time grasping the bigger picture of how this will work in the future, but an article posted today to the Web site of Sidelines, the school newspaper sheds some light on the scope of the project. Of particular interest to me was the news that the new parking lot should be finished soon, after which roads will be altered and widened in places and new bus lanes installed to make traffic flow better around the campus (forming a loop for the bus) and make the campus bus a more appealing option for students. The second page of the article talks about other construction projects, including a proposed new student center. You can find the article here:

http://media.www.mtsusidelines.com/media/s...gepublisher.com

I don't recall for sure, but it may require registration to view the entire article.

Edited July 26, 2006 by Relient J

[miami1855]

Working at a university myself, I love to see positive University construction projects.

However, they are such a pain while they are going on. Here at Austin Peay, we have a major renovation of our old science building going on as well as construction of a new rec center. They are a pain as far as parking and traffic. But, it is worth it in the end.

[satalac]

i also wonder how this project is going to work. the number of people that parked in the overflow gravel lot beside the rec center on rutherford were small at best. there was still plenty of empty parking spaces there (which i definatly took advantage of instead of driving around campus all day looking for parking). i'm not sure what this new lot will achive, other than it being paved. i'd also heard rumors of a pedestrian walkway going over rutherford from the lot to a new system of sidewalks. if people aren't willing to walk to the first overflow lot, then i don't see people wanting to make that walk even further. and even though this new lot will have a shuttle, the gravel lot also had one. so far i don't see anything special to make this a welcome addition to campus.

[Relient J]

^ I tend to agree with your comments and can only hope that this will make more sense as time goes on. The gravel lot right next to the rec center tends to fill up a lot of the time in my experience, but the big one behind Scarlett Commons never has more than a handful of cars in it. It makes me wonder if they're planning to put up a building on top of one of those lots at some point.

A walkway over Rutherford Blvd. is a great idea. Someone also suggested a tunnel underneath the road at one point as well here on the forum.

Edited July 26, 2006 by Relient J

[J0e]

^ I tend to agree with your comments and can only hope that this will make more sense as time goes on. The gravel lot right next to the rec center tends to fill up a lot of the time in my experience, but the big one behind Scarlett Commons never has more than a handful of cars in it. It makes me wonder if they're planning to put up a building on top of one of those lots at some point.

A walkway over Rutherford Blvd. is a great idea. Someone also suggested a tunnel underneath the road at one point as well here on the forum.

Isn't the new UC supposed to built somewhere behind or adjacent to Corlew & Cummings covering the old rec field? When I was a student, I heard that they were wanting to put it in the new "center" of campus [inproximity to the library, BAS, LRC, & the Mass Comm buildings]. Check out the campus map here and you'll see what I'm talking about.

What they really need to do is go up and build a parking garage near Murphy Center and charge admission for all of those TSSAA championships that they host.

Anyone know of numbers for fall enrollment?

Edited July 26, 2006 by J0e

[Relient J]

^ Are you referring to the rec fields next to the Business and Aerospace building? I believe the article I linked to in my opening post makes mention of the possibility of putting the new student center on top of old intramural fields, but still being an MTSU newb I wasn't sure exactly what the article was referring to.

[satalac]

^ I tend to agree with your comments and can only hope that this will make more sense as time goes on. The gravel lot right next to the rec center tends to fill up a lot of the time in my experience, but the big one behind Scarlett Commons never has more than a handful of cars in it. It makes me wonder if they're planning to put up a building on top of one of those lots at some point.

A walkway over Rutherford Blvd. is a great idea. Someone also suggested a tunnel underneath the road at one point as well here on the forum.

yeah, the gravel lot behind scarlett commons is the one i was talking about. the one by the rec center does fill up rather quickly. that's about the only downside of living off campus. haha. i don't see a tunnel happening anytime soon. it's much cheaper to build a walkway. and i've heard rumors of a parking garage too. the lot over by the hall of fame would be perfect for this. i just hope that everything that is done is going to be pleasing to the eye.

[Kheldane]

A walkway over Rutherford Blvd. is a great idea. Someone also suggested a tunnel underneath the road at one point as well here on the forum.

The idea of a tunnel is probably a non-starter - when I went to MTSU the whole campus flooded any time there was a decent rain storm. The campus has remarkably poor drainage - it's essentially a pancake-flat field...

When I was there (6 years ago ), I remember an article in the campus paper that featured a drawing of the MTSU Master Plan. It had buildings filling up those intramural fields and stretching out to Rutherford Blvd. I'm not sure how official that plan was though....

[nashvillwill]

I want to shed a little light on the parking issue at MTSU. Many people wonder why we don't have a garage that is needed, why many lots are gravel, and why they get further and further away. The answer is simple...Parking Services is privately owned. Most universities control their own parking which produces nicer, more efficient parking. The downside is that most schools charge 200-300 for parking(depending on whether you live on/off campus) Since MTSU's parking is privately operated Parking Services only has to provide X number of spaces in relation to X number of students. Beyond providing the required amount of spaces, PS doesn't give a hoot what kind of service it gives to the student/faculty. The benefit is the lower cost(which is forced upon students regardless if they drive or not). I personally think this is the wrong approach, but that is JMO.

I have many problems with the current system and could ramble for days, but I wont because we all feel different about this. The only thing I feel is truly unjust is the fact that PS can withold my grades due to a parking ticket. If the school operated parking I would think it is fair, but since PS is a seperate entity from the school I consider it unethical

[Relient J]

^ Thanks for the information! I was not aware that Parking Services was separate from MTSU. In that case, who planned, commissioned, and paid for the new parking lot across from campus, and the corresponding new entrance architecture we see on both sides of the road? Was it done by MTSU to be run by MTSU, or by MTSU to be run by the private Parking Services, or some other arrangement?

[nashvillwill]

Well, I don't have facts but I would guess that Parking Services built the lot and the school paid for the entrance revamp. Just a guess though.

[Relient J]

^ I just took another look at the Sidelines article, and it implies that both are being spearheaded by Campus Planning.

[Nashvillain]

I didn't sign up to get the whole article, but I think it's great that they're planning to remove most of the parking from the core of the campus, eventually. MTSU has a potentially fantastic campus, it's flat! UT/Knoxville, the HILL! "Argh, my leg muscles." It's got a bunch of great buildings and some uninspiring 60's era modern barracks as well (Same as UT, coincidentally), but there's too many surface lots strewn all around the campus. It's ugly! I don't know what the situation is, like who owns the lots and charges for parking and such, but they really need to build a few parking garages in order to make the campus more pedestrian friendly and more aesthetically pleasing. Just a couple cents from a dude that's taking summer classes in the boro with plans to mayhap move down there in the fall.

[FrijolMalo]

The reasoning they gave for more surface lots was that in order to build a parking garage that would proivde enough spaces, they'd have to raise fees by $200 per student.

[Nashvillain]

I'm just saying in a mo' better world, MTSU would have some parking garages and lose some of its asphalt wastleland aura.

[Justiceham]

I'm just saying in a mo' better world, MTSU would have some parking garages and lose some of its asphalt wastleland aura.

The asphault wasteland area is rather awkward looking, but that will change soon. The university's 30 year growth plan shows those lots filled up with buildings, however there still isn't any reference to parking garages.

[Relient J]

I drove by MTSU today and noticed that they had put up signage on the new large brick entryway to campus off of N. Rutherford Blvd. It looked pretty good, but I surmise that it may have either been placed there to demonstrate to someone how the sign will look, or else a correction needed to be made, because the exposed sign was gone when I went back this evening. The other side of the entrance looked as if its signage might have still been up, but it was covered over with what looked like paper.

Here are some photos I snapped this evening of the construction on the enhanced entrance to campus and the new entrance to the parking lot, and the parking lot itself:

[Justiceham]

I drove by MTSU today and noticed that they had put up signage on the new large brick entryway to campus off of N. Rutherford Blvd. It looked pretty good, but I surmise that it may have either been placed there to demonstrate to someone how the sign will look, or else a correction needed to be made, because the exposed sign was gone when I went back this evening. The other side of the entrance looked as if its signage might have still been up, but it was covered over with what looked like paper.

Here are some photos I snapped this evening of the construction on the enhanced entrance to campus and the new entrance to the parking lot, and the parking lot itself:

Very nice pics Relient J, I'm going back to MTSU this month, I hope they clean things up enough before school starts, I have to drive, lol. The new parking lot and entrance will give me reason enough to walk a mile to class, though.

[dfwtiger]

Very nice pics Relient J, I'm going back to MTSU this month, I hope they clean things up enough before school starts, I have to drive, lol. The new parking lot and entrance will give me reason enough to walk a mile to class, though.

I hate to say nice parking....but...it looks better than most. By the way...are they using asphalt in the driving area and graved where you park? If so....this is excellent. You don't see too many parking lots in Tennessee that use impervious surfaces.

[Justiceham]

I hate to say nice parking....but...it looks better than most. By the way...are they using asphalt in the driving area and graved where you park? If so....this is excellent. You don't see too many parking lots in Tennessee that use impervious surfaces.

Yep, they sure are. You don't see this combination too often if at all around here. Even with these extra spaces I'm sure they'll be filled up in no time.

[ATLBrain]

Seems like I remember some talk of changing the name of MTSU to University of Middle Tennessee a few years ago. Did I imagine that?

[Relient J]

^ I think at one point not too long ago there was talk of changing the name to that or to Middle Tennessee University. I believe someone once told me that the potential for a name change was the reason that the football field was emblazoned with the letters "MT" instead of "MTSU." That way it would be accurate no matter which name was ultimately choosen. However, I think that was settled some time ago. Someone more familiar with the situation, please set my facts straight there.