A little over a week ago we invited you to join us in asking the Provo City Planning Commission to approve the construction of the BYU Music Building. You may remember that the Planning Commission continued the item because they wanted BYU to increase its car parking in some way (a garage, valet parking, etc.).

Since then, we have met with residents of nearby neighborhoods who plan to encourage the Planning Commission to ask BYU to work with UTA to install a UVX stop on 900 East as part of this project.

It’s a very round-a-bout way to work with UTA on putting a 900 East UVX stop in, but it may be the most effective given the political history of this particular stop and Provo City’s hesitancy to push for it again. (see here and here)

Here is the point: we are once again asking you to email the Provo City Planning Commission–this time encouraging them to have BYU work with UTA and Provo City to install a 900 East UVX stop as part of this construction project.

The item will be heard by Provo City’s Planning Commission on June 10th at 6pm. Please email your comments to dspublichearings@provo.org with a CC to mkaufusi@provo.org, wparker@provo.org, and ipaxman@provo.org and comment live during the meeting shown on the Provo City Channel 17 YouTube Channel that night.

Main Talking points to use:

• The 900 East UVX stop should have been build originally
• The 900 East UVX stop would fill a 1-mile gap in the system; most stops in the downtown/BYU area are 1/2 mile apart
• Parking garages cost at least $30,000 per parking space and are an unwise long-term investment with shared autonomous vehicles coming–a UVX stop could be far cheaper and an asset for the entire city, not just BYU

Secondary points:

• Only 40% of trips to BYU are by car
• The peak use of BYU parking is in the day; performances can take advantage of existing empty parking in the evening
• BYU already has the second-highest student-per-parking space ratio in the state–a rate above the national recommendation
• Place parking restrictions on the city streets across 900 East if you are worried about spillover—time limits, fees, or parking permit programs
• Let BYU build!