For people who park their cars on campus, it can be a pretty long walk to the classroom.

Students who are assigned to park their cars at the stadium may have other options that they are not aware of.

One option is lot 100, the lot at the Lied Recreation Building.

Last year sophomore Kelly Becker parked her car at the stadium for the first semester.

When one of her friends who worked at the Department of Public Safety informed her that for an additional cost, she could park at Lied, Becker changed her parking assignment.

“It’s so much closer. I use my car a lot and walking to the stadium was such a pain. It’s like a block away from me now,” Becker said.

To be able to park on or close to campus, students usually must meet some requirements.

According to DPS, first priority is given to students involved in campus government.

Second priority goes to students of junior or senior classification, and third priority is given to students with individual needs such as jobs. After that, it becomes a first come, first serve basis.

If a student does not meet those requirements, lot 100 provides an alternative to parking in the stadium. It costs $20 a month to park there. Although at this time the lot is full, Douglas Houghton, program coordinator, said DPS is doing a parking lot count that will hopefully show that some spaces are available.

Lot 100 first became open for parking on more than an hourly basis once DPS realized that not all the spots were full when the lot was used just for recreation parking.

Lot 100 is not usually advertised as an option to parking because it is usually not necessary, Houghton said.

The only way that people found out about the space was through friends that had parked there or people who worked for DPS.

Becker said, “I wouldn’t have had a clue if my friend hadn’t have worked there.”

For commuter students there are two other parking options available — Lots 29 and 29A.

These lots, located behind Molecular Biology and East Pammell Court are now full, but Houghton said that they expect to sell some more spaces starting Sept. 18.

Parking for people in the dorms still has some spots available. Richardson Court Area and Union Drive Area have spaces available. Parking at Towers Residence Halls, however, is full.

While DPS does overbook lots, Houghton said, “Our intent is to never sell more spaces then there are cars in the lot.”

This is achieved by counting the number of unused parking spots during peak hours of use.

Then they sell the spaces that are available in that time.

For people who do park at the stadium, the orange route of Cy-ride is available to bring students to campus.

It is free and, according to Houghton, always available.

For students living off-campus who do not meet commuter status because they live in Ames, Cy-ride can get them around.

The bus service costs 35 cents with a valid student fee card. Maps that show the routes are available on the buses.

To find out more about possible parking spots, call DPS Parking Division at 294-3388.