UK Transportation Services has invested more than $3 million over the summer to offset recent and planned construction impacts and to ensure the campus community can continue to get to, from and around campus. 

As the start of fall classes approaches, several south campus construction projects will impact as many as 640 employee (E) and employee periphery (EK) parking spaces. 

Construction Impacts (Approx. 640 parking spaces):

• Construction of the Agriculture Research Building #1 eliminated nearly 120 spaces in the Kentucky Tobacco Development and Research Center and Plant Science Building area in late spring 2024.
• Future construction of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forage-Animal Production Research Building will eliminate approximately 520 spaces in the Orange Lot sometime in fall 2024.

To offset these losses, Transportation Services has added approximately 620 spaces to the employee periphery (EK) parking inventory, with the bulk of these spaces located in the Kroger Field South Red Lot. This lot is restricted for the exclusive use of employee (E) and employee periphery (EK) permit holders.

New Employee Periphery Parking (Approx. 620 parking spaces):

• The Gluck Lot improvement project will add approximately 55 spaces by connecting the small and large Gluck lots and expanding the lot slightly to the northeast. Construction is scheduled to be completed by Friday, August 23.
• The southeastern edge of the Orange Lot was expanded along University Drive, adding approximately 55 spaces.
• Conversion of the South Red Lot, located directly across University Drive from the Orange Lot, to employee periphery (EK) has added approximately 510 spaces.

Orange Lot parking impacts associated with USDA Building construction are not expected to occur until early October or later, so south campus employees may experience a temporary increase in parking availability in the south campus periphery parking areas before returning to levels similar to spring 2024 later this fall.

Orange Route Bus Service to new EK designated South Red Lot parking area:

To support the addition of the South Red Lot to the employee periphery parking options, Transportation Services has added a bus stop along northbound University Drive with convenient access to the Orange Route bus service. This stop will be in service starting Thursday, August 22.

Student Parking Changes:

To facilitate the above changes to employee and employee periphery parking, Transportation Services has added 330 student residential (R) parking spaces and an additional 330 spaces into the student commuter (C) inventory. These parking additions benefit students by allocating parking closer to their desired destinations, while freeing up valuable periphery parking.

New Student Parking (Approx. 660 parking spaces):

• Expansion and redesignation of the Shively Lot added approximately 330 spaces in the Sports Center Drive area near the new Indoor Track Facility.
• Completion of the Gray Design Building returned approximately 165 spaces in the north campus Reynolds Lot sometime in spring 2024 for primary allocation as student commuter parking.
• Addition of the South Broadway Lots into the student commuter parking inventory for fall 2024 adds an additional 165 spaces.

Additional Parking Updates and Flexibility:

To further address student and employee population growth, Transportation Services has also invested in expanding the College Way West Lot, adding 72 parking spaces, and in redesigning the Commonwealth Drive Lot, adding an additional seven parking spaces.  These additional south campus spaces are available for both employee and student periphery parking and remain accessible to the campus Orange, Blue and White bus routes via the Green Route. New for fall 2024, the College Way Lots also connect to the Orange, Blue and White routes via the Purple Route.

As the University of Kentucky campus continues to grow, Transportation Services works hard to maintain a parking and transportation network that supports the needs of the campus community.  We recognize that change and growth can be challenging for the individual, while also rewarding for the campus community and even the Commonwealth. We appreciate your flexibility and patience as we embark upon another exciting academic year.