MUSCMedical LinksCharleston LinksArchivesMedical EducatorSpeakers BureauSeminars and EventsResearch StudiesResearch GrantsGrantlandCommunity HappeningsCampus News

Return to Main Menu

Future of Morrison Drive lot in question 

The Lockwood parking lot is nearing completion and should be open for service sometime in the first weeks of September. 

This new parking opportunity, while adding 300 spaces to the inventory, has created a dilemma for the university, the MUSC Medical Center and UMA management. 

MUSC currently does not  have the equipment nor manpower resources to serve both the Morrison Drive parking lot and the new Lockwood Drive parking lot with bus service. 

The administrations of the Medical Center and UMA are working in close consultation on possible solutions including adding additional buses and drivers. However, budgetary constraints may make it necessary to close the Morrison Drive Satellite Parking Lot instead.

The Morrison Drive lot consists of about 100 spaces of non-guaranteed parking and historically is about 80 percent utilized. Because of the distance involved MUSC has had to dedicate two buses to service that lot and give a reasonable wait time of 15 to 30 minutes during peak hours. 

In contrast, the main MUSC bus service uses nine buses to serve about 2,500 customers a day and gives a four to six minute wait at peak hours. The bus and driver investment needed to maintain the Morrison lot is not an efficient use of limited resources. 

Greater efficiency and a higher level of service can be attained by relocating our Morrison Drive parking and transportation resources to the west side of the peninsula. 

With the strong likelihood that this change in service will occur, the highest levels of university and Medical Center management are encouraging individuals who are able to consider pre-registering for a reserved parking assignment in the new Lockwood Drive parking lot while there are still plenty of assignments available. 

The Lockwood Drive parking lot is gate controlled, and assignments are guaranteed. The lot is secured by MUSC Public Safety and will be served by MUSC bus service. Pre-registering, using the on-line process on the parking web page <http://www.musc.edu/parking/>, does not obligate you to accept the assignment when the Lockwood lot opens, but it does guarantee you an assignment should the Morrison Drive location close and you need a place to park. The rate for the Lockwood Drive Lot is $35 per month.

Should it be necessary to close the Morrison Drive lot, administration officials will do everything possible to provide continuity of service for an orderly phase out. 

Other efforts to improve overall availability of parking for the MUSC campus are ongoing.