From the Archives: 'Western takes another look at drive-in site on Lincoln Street for park and ride'

[ Editor's note: At the end of the decade, Western Today is publishing articles from the past 10 years of FAST, the campus faculty/staff newsletter. This is one of those articles. Publication of FAST officially ended in the summer of 2009. It was replaced by Western Today. ]

Western officials are exploring the feasibility of leasing or purchasing the former Twins Drive-In property on Lincoln Street for use as a park-and-ride lot with shuttle service to campus provided by the Whatcom Transportation Authority.

The 7.8 acre property near campus could accommodate 600 to 700 cars, according to Vice President for Business and Financial Affairs George Pierce, who presented the concept to Western’s board of trustees Aug. 1. Pierce said University administrators are sensitive to the need for additional parking solutions for the growing campus. Future expansion at the south end of campus will impact or displace some existing parking facilities.

The University currently leases 300 spaces at Civic Field for the Campus XPress program, a park-and-ride program for commuters to the University who park at the field and ride to campus on WTA buses. The City of Bellingham, however, likely will need the Civic Field space for other projects in the near future, which will require the University to take a new look at a locating a permanent off-campus parking site.

Surveys have shown that students are willing to use off-campus parking sites as long as convenient shuttle service is available. During 2001, Western administrators considered the Twins Drive-In property option but decided that the park and ride was second in priority to a Viking Union Garage and the University’s transportation program could not afford both.

Now, with costs of a garage project soaring and additional circulation studies planned for the coming year, officials are postponing a decision on the garage and shifting their priorities to the park-and-ride property, which also has the support of residents in the Puget and Samish neighborhoods. Tom Barrett, president of the Samish Neighborhood Association, said his board asked him to contact Tim Wynn, Western’s director of facilities management, to see if there was anything the association could do to help Western pursue the project again. Barrett said the Samish Neighborhood Association board believes the parking facility would be a good neighbor and looks forward to supporting Western in realizing the project.

Lisa Cook, a Puget Neighborhood Association board member,echoed Barrett, saying that board is also very interested in working with Western. If approved, the project would proceed in two stages. Phase 1 would relocate the Civic Field Park-and-Ride, with shuttles provided by the WTA through the Campus XPress program. Phase 2 would provide additional parking at the north and south ends of the property.

As the next step in the project, University officials plan to discuss the plan further with the campus community, the City of Bellingham, WTA administrators, and Puget and Samish neighbors and update financial feasibility.