(Photo Courtesy of Creative Commons)

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Students and staff have been met with heat and parking issues at the start of the Fall 2026 semester. 

Students and faculty arriving for the day are finding parking more difficult because parking garages and spaces are already full. This has caused students to spend extra time driving around to find a parking spot, creating delays for students and heavier traffic while they search for spots.  

Over the summer, improvements began on the Parking Garage at Galileo Gardens’ parking along with the Midwest Trust Center (MTC) parking. Improvements to Galileo were completed on time, but delays occurred to the MTC upper west parking. The plan was for parking to be completed by mid-August, before the fall semester started, but the summer rain pushed improvements into the fall semester. 

“The plan was to get everything completed before the beginning of the semester. This one, the Upper West, was supposed to open last week. The line painters were scheduled to come last weekend, and it rained,” Kathy Rhoads, Public Safety Officer for JCCC, said.  

The delay will be over shortly, as the line painters should complete the project on Thursday, August 27, 2026.  

“The MTC Upper West garage, which to newer students is known as G34 or G 33 is supposed to be finished today,” Rhoads said.  

One way to alleviate traffic and to avoid congested areas if a student is running late is to park in the southeast side of campus. 

“They can always avoid congested areas if they go out to the southeast side of campus,” Rhoads said. “The lot on the east side of the culinary building and the lots on the south side of it. The south side ones are never full. They’re only about a maybe a 3rd full.” 

Also, to avoid congestion, students can use the Westgate entrance on the Northwest side of campus off of college.  

Motorcycle parking spots are also available in Parking Garage at Galileo’s Garden level 1, Reigner Center, MTC Lower West and Lower East.  

Review lots, garages and parking information at JCCC Parking Locations.