Fall 2018 Parking and Traffic Tips
Here's information to ease your commute to and from SDSU from the people who know the campus best.
As San Diego State University kicks off the fall 2018 semester on Monday, Aug. 27, here are some tips from SDSU Parking & Transportation Services to minimize stress.
Peak traffic hours during the first weeks of classes are around 8:30-9:30 a.m. and 1-4 p.m.
Parking structures on the west side of campus, including P7 and P12, fill to capacity rapidly in the morning. After 9:30 a.m., it students and visitors are advised to park on the east side of campus in the P3 or P4 structures, which require a longer walk but typically have open spaces throughout the day.
For an alternative to taking College Avenue when leaving campus in congested afternoon peak hours, take westbound Montezuma Road and turn right on Fairmount Avenue to Interstate 8.
Traffic near 55th Street and Remington Road may be impacted by ongoing construction of a New Student Residence Hall.
SDSU Parking & Transportation Services will place electronic message signs at entrances to campus, identifying structures which are full. During the initial days of the semester, please follow the instructions of parking staff, who will direct traffic to the nearest available parking.
A smartphone app, PayByPhone, allows you to pay parking fees or extend your parking session from anywhere and will remind you when your parking session is about to expire. PayByPhone has expanded to additional student and visitor parking lots this year, replacing pay stations that dispense paper permits in most lots. It will be helpful to register for an account before using these lots.
Beginning this fall, students with a valid permit may park in F/S spaces (excluding P14) weeknights between 6:30 p.m. and 1:00 a.m.
In partnership with Lyft and Uber, 12 ridesharing pickup locations are located around campus.
Move-In Days
Students move into on-campus residence halls Aug. 23-24.
On the east side of campus, City of San Diego special-event traffic controllers will direct traffic at College Avenue and Zura Way.
On the west side of campus, special-event traffic controllers will direct traffic on Campanile Drive between Montezuma Road and Hardy Avenue, Hardy Avenue in front of Piedra del Sol apartments, at the intersection of 55th Street and Remington Road, and 55th Street between P9 and P11. Westbound Lindo Paseo will be closed at College Avenue to allow South Campus Plaza residents to move into their dorms. Faculty and staff who usually park in P6 are asked to find alternative parking on move-in day.
Please follow all instructions by special event traffic controllers. On Remington Road, those moving in may park along the red curb to unload their belongings. An individual must stay with the belongings at all times and once the car is unloaded, the driver must move away from the curb.
Refer to the Move-In Guide on the SDSU Housing page for additional information on parking.
Additional parking and traffic tips
Avoid the rush: Arrive on campus early, especially during the first two weeks of classes.
Take the trolley: Free parking is available at many San Diego Trolley stops throughout San Diego for a ride directly to campus. Trolley schedules, fares, maps and other information are available online.
Take the bus: The Metropolitan Transit System also has bus routes to SDSU. Schedules, fares, maps and other information are available on the Metropolitan Transit System website.
Ride a bike: Bike racks are installed in front of most SDSU classrooms. In addition, the dockless bike-sharing company Ofo has distributed bicycles across campus.
Use Zipcar: SDSU has partnered with the car-share service Zipcar. For more information, visit the Parking Services website.
Electric Vehicle (EV) charging: SDSU provides EV charging stalls in several locations across campus, as shown on this map. Blink membership is required and can be obtained via Blink Network. A valid SDSU parking permit is required to use EV charging spaces.
Carpool: SDSU community members can take advantage of several ridesharing options. Vanpool Operation provides SDSU faculty and staff with the opportunity to share a ride with other SDSU employees living near them. More information on the service can be found on the Parking Services website. Zimride is SDSU’s social network for ride sharing available to all SDSU faculty, staff and students with a campus email address. The San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) also offers iCommute and Waze Carpool as commuter assistance programs providing carpool and ride-matching services.
Areas to avoid: During peak hours, commuters should try to avoid College Avenue and the west side of campus.
Follow the SDSU Police and SDSU Parking Services Twitter accounts for updates on available parking areas.
Alternative traffic routes
During peak hours consider using the following alternative routes to campus:
From eastbound Interstate 8, an alternative to College Avenue is the Fairmount Avenue exit. Take Fairmount Avenue south to merge onto Montezuma Road. Turn left on 55th Street to access the west side parking lots.
From westbound Interstate 8, take the 70th Street exit south to El Cajon Boulevard. Turn right onto El Cajon Boulevard and right onto Montezuma Road. Park in the structures and lots on the east side of campus.
From State Route 94, exit at College Avenue and continue north to Montezuma Road.
Parking permits
Parking permits are required to park on campus at all times and can be purchased from the Aztec Parking Portal. Student permits are available online only. A student semester parking pass is $171 for day use only and $271 for day/overnight. Motorcycle permits are $37.
Students may park only in areas marked with the letters S or N. Faculty and staff may park only in areas that are marked FS, S or N. Special permit areas require an SP permit in addition to a paid permit. Visitors may park only in areas marked P or S and must purchase a pay machine permit from the location they park in or from the PayByPhone app.
New parking payment machines have been installed at the Parking Information Booth and in the P3, P7 and P12 lots. These stations offer hourly and daily permits and require you to enter your license plate number. Daily permits are $3 per hour for the first four hours and $15 for five or more hours. Overnight parking is available for $20. Weekend permits are $30.
Red & Black Shuttle
The Red & Black Shuttle, which incorporates the previous safety escort program and library shuttle, provides pick-up and drop off services at 18 locations on and off campus. It operates weeknights between 5:30 p.m. and midnight when classes are in session.
