Parking Rate Increase

UH Mānoa parking rate hike to improve facilities and services

The first parking rate increase in eight years, and just the second in 20 years, bolsters revenues to help make essential improvements to the aging parking facilities on campus. These revenues will be used to extend the life of the current parking facilities for at least 20 more years. These funds also ensure that our self-funded commuter services program can keep pace with inflation, meet ongoing maintenance needs and pay for dramatically higher fringe benefit costs. To minimize the impact of this painful but necessary action, the rate changes will be implemented over a six-year period which started in Fall 2019.

 

Increase
(2019-2020)		 Increase
(2020-2021)		 Increase
(2021-2022)		 Increase
(2022-2023)		 Increase
(2023-2024)		 Increase
(2024-2025)
Employees (surface lots): $750 $849 $951 $1,050 $1,200 $1,299
Employees (lower campus structures): $498 $600 $702 $777 $852 $924
Students (per semester): $166 $175 $184 $200 $217 $234
Employee Motorcycle/moped: $120 $156 $192 $228 $264 $300
Student Motorcycle/moped (per semester): $40 $47 $54 $61 $68 $75
Afternoon permit: $32/mo $36/mo $40/mo $44/mo $48/mo $52/mo
Daily Parking
Parking structure (before 4pm): $5
flat rate		 $5
flat rate		 $5
flat rate		 $5
flat rate		 $6
flat rate		 $6
flat rate
Upper campus (before 4pm): $4/hr $6/hr $6/hr $6/hr $6/hr $6/hr
Entire campus (after 4pm): $7
flat rate		 $7
flat rate		 $7
flat rate		 $1/hr $1/hr $1/hr

History of parking rate increases

Where will the funds be used

The parking rate increase will fund a $35 million bond issuance for improvements and repairs to campus parking facilities to extend their life for at least another twenty years. These improvements will be implemented in three phases over the next several years:
Table showing what the $35-million bond will pay for

University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Parking Increase FAQs

(click on questions to view answers)

Yes, the new rate structure creates three tiers of permit parking:

  • The 1st tier will be the employee rate for surface parking lots that are located in close proximity to buildings. This will include surface parking lots on lower campus and will be a change from the current parking rate structure where all lower campus permits are charged at the same rate.
  • The 2nd tier will be the employee rate for the Dole Street and lower campus parking structures.
  • The 3rd tier will be the student rate and will be a new tier. Currently, students pay the same lower campus annual parking rate as employees. Because current rates are already considerably low, this differential will not go into effect until year two of the proposed rate increase schedule, to commence in Fall 2020 (fiscal year 2021).
The last time the parking rate increased was Fall 2010. Prior to that, parking rates were increased in Fall 1997.
Commuter Services is a self-sustaining department that receives no student fees, tuition or general funds, Commuter Services is completely self-funded through collection of parking fees and fines. No tuition or state funds are used.
Commuter Services is committed to keeping expenses low for the UH community. The department constantly seeks new ways to minimize its costs while maximizing its efficiency, including eliminating all non-essential contract services and printing expenses.
Commuter Services addresses parking challenges by encouraging the use of alternative transportation such as TheBus, biking, BIKI bike share, carpooling, and walking; through its website, social media accounts, and campus events. In addition, Commuter Services connects with city and state programs that support bike lanes and bus route optimization.
According to a joint 2018 survey conducted by parking consultant firms SP+ and Kimley-Horn, there are $60 million in repairs needed for the lower campus structures and $5 million needed for surface lots. The parking fee will help to sustain the maintenance and repair of the parking structure and lots, providing a safe and healthy environment for our university community and its visitors.
The increases will pay for a $35 million bond that will address the most pressing needs first. After that six-year period, Commuter Services will evaluate the maintenance and repair needs.

The bond will pay for the following upgrades:

  • Phase 1: Railing repairs, fire safety upgrades, and elevator modernization
  • Phase 2: Parking deck waterproofing, expansion joints replacement, and drain repairs
  • Phase 3: Wall repairs and parking lot resurfacing
Yes, Commuter Services explored other alternatives, including tearing down and rebuilding the parking structure. This option was ultimately rejected since it would have cost $100 million, resulting in parking rates three times as expensive as the current rates. In addition, there would be no alternate location for vehicles to park during construction. After careful review, upgrading the parking structure proved to be the most feasible and cost-effective solution.
Additional Resources

Parking rate comparisons with peer universities and off-campus lots
UHM parking by the numbers
UH News