University of Wisconsin – La Crosse’s Parking Ramp Project

The University of Wisconsin – La Crosse's next major building project, a parking ramp, is in the works. The students and staff requesting parking at UWL far outnumber the available parking spaces offered on and around the university's campus. 

The parking ramp will help to solve the current problem students and staff face on campus. Student Nikolina Adzic said, "I bought a permit, and not for cheap, at the beginning of the year. But sadly I have only been able to actually park in my designated lot a handful of times. I hope that the parking ramp will help ease my anxieties about finding a parking space."

The parking ramp will provide 500-600 parking spaces, all available through the purchase of a permit. The student parking permit fees will cover the cost of construction – there is no money from the state being used. The total estimated cost of construction is $12,131,000.

The ramp will be built above ground, on what are currently commuter and residential parking lots, and stand three stories high. It will be located on the South side of La Crosse Street and West of 17th Street.

UWL's chancellor Joe Gow said, "The construction of the parking ramp will begin in spring 2012 and be fully operational in fall 2012, if all goes according to plan." Construction was purposely planned to avoid the times when most students are enrolled – beginning after spring semester 2012 and completed prior to the start of fall semester 2012.