Construction on a parking garage near Vaught-Hemingway Stadium has closed 148 commuter parking spots and 15 faculty/staff spots and will close a total of 555 spots by March. The construction will occur in two phases, according to a university press release. Phase I began in December with the start of construction. This phase closed 35 total spots in the west stadium lot, 98 commuter spots in the two lots east of Hill Drive and about 30 of 117 commuter spots west of Hill Drive.

Phase II will begin sometime in March and will close the entire lot west of the stadium, which includes about 44 commuter spots and 194 faculty/staff spots. Perhaps the largest change during Phase II will be when two commuter lots totaling 164 spots just northeast of Tad Smith Coliseum become faculty/staff lots.

A total of 443 commuter and 112 faculty/staff spots are expected to be eliminated during the two phases. The parking garage is slated to be completed by the beginning of the 2014-15 fall semester.

When the five-story garage is completed, there will be 829 spots available, around 274 more spots than were eliminated for the construction.

— Adam Ganucheau

dmeditor@gmail.com