Kent State’s Parking Services is adding parking spaces and updating lots to prepare for the upcoming fall semester.

Parking Services Manager Larry Emling said 50 spaces have been added behind the Student Recreation and Wellness Center because the front lot will be used by a construction company for the Summit Street Improvement Project.

In addition, the R-6 Manchester and Fletcher lot near the Eastway Center, the C-Science lot near the Aeronautics and Technology Building and the R-15 lot behind Cartwright Hall are being redone.

Emling said the last time these lots were updated was about 15 years ago, which is about the lifespan of a parking lot.

“We blacked out lines, so everything was bleeding through, so people really didn’t know where they were parking,” Emling said. “It was kind of confusing.”

Emling said although the Cartwright lot was recently redone, water got under the new surface, so the lot will need extra maintenance to repair the issue.

Cody Prelec, a senior aeronautics major who works for Parking Services, said maintaining the lots and repainting line helps with flow and space availability.

“During the peak hours, it is difficult to find a parking spot in the lot that a parking pass corresponds, but other times it is not an issue,” he said.

Junior applied engineering major Jonathan Murphy, a parking facilities attendant, said Parking Services was having issues with the Campus Center lot because the lines were fading in a no parking zone, leading to students parking illegally without realizing it.

“There are certain lots where it may make it clearer just because the lines will be clearer to see so people can park correctly,” he said.

Most of Parking Services’ funding comes from on-campus parking passes, Emling said, which will be paying for these projects. He said it costs about $500 a space during a repaving project.

Emling said all lots will be completed in time for the start of fall classes.

Contact Chelsea Graff at [email protected].