Master Plan October 2011 - Pacific Lutheran University

TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT PLAN
TRAFFIC & PARKING ASSOCIATED WITH FUTURE DEVELOPMENT PLANS
Changes to Enrollment and Campus Buildings
As described above, current enrollment at PLU averaged about 3,540 students during the 2006-
2007 academic year. The enrollment in 2010-2011 is nearly identical at 3,550 students. The longrange
goals, that are the basis for the Major Institution Master Plan (MIMP), expect on-campus
enrollment to remain between 3,600 and 3,700 through year 2010 and to not exceed 4,000 over
the next ten years. Based on these figures, the campus could experience an increase in student
enrollment of about 460 students during the planning horizon for the MIMP. The new students
could be graduate level students that would most likely attend classes on weekends and evenings
and may not increase peak parking demand during mid-morning time periods. In addition,
nearly all of the planned campus development projects will focus on renovation and possible
replacement of existing buildings or providing additional residential housing (student beds) that
will increase the proportion of students living on campus. Other planned projects include Phase
1 of a new sports and fitness center, two new all weather athletic fields with spectator seating for
up to 4,500 people (evaluated later), and a new main campus entrance at Park Avenue.
In terms of typical school day traffic generation, only the expected increase in student enrollment
would result in changes to traffic or parking demand. The slight increase in student enrollment is
expected to be off-set by a higher proportion of students living on campus (and lower proportion
of students commuting to the campus). However, to estimate the potential traffic generation
effects of the increase in enrollment, equations published in Trip Generation (Institute of
Transportation Engineers, 7th Edition, 2003) for a University/College (Land Use 550) were
applied. The added enrollment of 460 students could result in an additional 1,030 trips per
day, 97 AM peak hour trips, and 87 PM peak hour trips. It should be noted that the ITE trip
generation rates includes all types of trips—those made by students as well as staff and visitors.
Parking demand could also increase with the additional enrollment. Based on the parking
demand rates described above, and assuming limited increases in employees, the increase
in student enrollment of 460 students could result in an increase in peak parking demand of
between 165 and 210 vehicles. While some new buildings on campus could displace existing
on-campus parking, PLU plans to construct replacement parking at a rate of one space
for every lost space. In addition, the future parking demand rate is expected to be reduced
with the introduction of new parking management efforts, expanded transit options, and
November 2011
Pacific Lutheran University MIMP
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