Frustrated with parking in Area 1?

  • Published
  • By 1st Lt. Kim Schaerdel
  • 31st Fighter Wing Public Affairs
AVIANO AIR BASE, Italy --  The limited parking spaces and temporary construction projects on Area 1 has been the source of consternation for people traveling there, but base leadership and the 31st Civil Engineer Squadron are aware of the issue and are actively working to improve the situation.

"Driving around a parking lot without a free spot in sight can be aggravating to say the least," said Col. Brian Kelly, 31st Mission Support Group commander. "The current construction, when done, will improve the parking situation and increase safety within the area, but we'll always have some parking challenges."

One reason for the parking challenges, is due to the fact that Area 1 contains 18 high-demand community facilities, including the hospital, schools, AAFES shoppette, Community Center, and the youth and child development centers. To compound this problem, parking spots are not always located exactly where visitors want them to be due to the configuration of Area 1.

On a typical workday, more than 3,000 vehicles enter Area 1, with each of them competing for one of the 1,115 parking spots on base. This includes approximately 800 long-term employees and 2,200 visitors who use the various facilities on a temporary basis. According to the 31st Civil Engineer Squadron, visitors stay in Area 1 for an average of 60 minutes per visit. With this estimate, Area 1 has just enough parking spots to meet peak demands, but finding a spot close to your destination is not always an option.

While there is no easy fix, listed below are several measures and future initiatives the base is working to alleviate the parking issues:

1. The recently re-designated Area 1 parking spots give priority and facility proximity to customers and patients. Most employee and long-term parking was relocated around the perimeter.

2. A pedestrian bridge is being installed, which will connect the upper perimeter parking lot with the main shoppette parking area. With the installation of this new bridge, the walking distance from 70 (typically empty) parking spots on the upper perimeter to locations on the shoppette side will be cut by a half and the distance to facilities in the area of the school will be cut by a third. This bridge is scheduled to open in May.

3. Thirty parking spaces will be available again after renovations to the parking lot between building 110 and the Youth Center are complete. This parking lot is scheduled to reopen at the end of March.

4. A new bus parking area across from the schools is also currently under construction. This new area will allow buses to enter and exit through the side gate by the school and will give them a permanent place away from other traffic. The lot in front of the school will then be used as a full-time parent drop-off zone without having to navigate past or through the bus traffic. This will allow parents to drop off children much closer to the school, increasing safety by removing the need for our children to walk through the bus area.

5. Several walkway projects are in the works over the next year as well. Since every parking spot cannot be immediately adjacent to your destination, these walkways will make getting there as quick and pleasant as possible.

6. Adjusted parking law enforcement. Given the parking shortages and ongoing construction, parking enforcement is concentrating on enforcing the dedicated parking areas and preventing potential safety situations. Meaning if someone illegally parks in a handicapped, patient, child drop-off, or dedicated reserved space, they will most likely be ticketed. Given the limited space, it is important to preserve these parking spaces for their intended purpose. Enforcement in other areas is deliberately more relaxed until the construction projects are complete.

"People have suggested building a parking garage to remedy the parking situation," said Colonel Kelly. "However, for Department of Defense facilities in Europe, above or below ground parking structures are not permitted due to safety and force protection reasons."

Due to the limited size of Area 1, the wing is continuing to work to maximize the spaces available in Area 1 with the goal of providing a safe and convenient area for Airmen, employees and family members.

"While these short-term projects will improve the situation, the base will never be able to accommodate the desire for every patron to park directly next to the facility they are visiting," Colonel Kelly said. "That's why our parking plan also counts on everyone's team work, continued patience, cooperation and flexibility. We greatly appreciate everyone's community spirit and understanding."