In recent years, parking demands have emerged in response to changes on campus, such as construction. Students that live off-campus or frequently leave campus are required to get approval for parking permits and choose from limited parking spaces on campus. Data provided by the College of William and Mary’s Parking and Transportation Services breaks down the different patterns in the past few years of on-campus parking.
A report from Parking and Transportation Services showed a net reduction in available spaces over the past two decades. Between 2005 and 2024, the College saw a reduction in 968 parking spaces due to construction projects and renovations while adding back 677 spaces through new developments and rezoning efforts. These shifts include major losses at the Yates Hall Lot and Tribe Square and additions at the School of Education and Compton Lot.
Some students have noted that these structural changes have affected where and how often they can find parking.
Elsa Hendrix ’25 described how she maneuvers her parking depending on the day of the week.
“I typically park behind One Tribe Place but also move my car to Landrum Drive on weekends. Everyone’s scrambling for parking after a lot of upperclassmen moved off campus,” she said.
Data on permits issued in the past three years shows that a majority of available parking is allocated to faculty and staff. As of fall 2024, there were 2,128 faculty/staff permits issued, compared to 1,540 for commuter students and 1,174 for resident students. There are a total of 5,331 spaces available on campus.
Molly Trull ’26, who began using campus parking in Spring 2024, described difficulty finding spots near academic buildings during the morning.
“There’s way too few spots for students in comparison to staff. Even in the two student spots that we have, there’s such a lack of parking depending on what time you get there,” she said.
She also noted that Kaplan, the largest lot, was the most convenient to park in.
“I’d say every day, I cannot park in the parking garage unless it’s like a Friday, which is why I prefer to park in Kaplan. I can normally find spots, but just barely, depending on when I get there. I’ll have to park in the very back because half of Kaplan is also for the construction parking now.”
According to the data, the number of permits issued is greater than the number of actual available spaces on campus. In the 2024-25 academic year, the College issued 6,229 parking permits, an increase from 5,517 the previous academic year. This figure exceeds the 4,840 estimated usable spaces on a typical day.
To address demand, the College has recently added the Compton Lot and opened overflow areas, such as a gravel lot near the Graduate Complex. However, with simultaneous losses from other projects, the net increase remains modest.
While rises in construction and student population contribute to overages in parking capacity, some students have adapted by using peripheral lots or shifting schedules. The College plans to restore certain lots after projects conclude in 2025, which may ease congestion. In the meantime, parking availability remains subject to timing, location and user type.
