University of Southern Maine

USM PARKING, TRANSPORTATION AND PEDESTRIAN GUIDELINES

For all Students, Faculty, Staff and Visitors

Authority

Board of Trustees, University of Maine System, Policy Manual, Introduction, Section 102, Charter of the University of Maine System, Section 8-A

Introduction

In order to ensure the safety of the University community and guests, it is necessary to establish guidelines for motor vehicle and pedestrian use.  Enforcement is necessary to maintain safety and fairness to all, so adhering to these guidelines could save you a $25.00 to $200.00 fine for each violation.

Transportation Fee

The transportation fee supports the cost of shuttle bus services, parking garage operations, walkway and parking lot creation and renovation, and on-campus parking.  The fee also covers escort services, and the operation and maintenance of emergency telephones and lights in parking lots, the garage and on walkways.  Additionally, the fee subsidizes and supports discount fares for students, faculty and staff who use the Portland Metro public transportation system.  This charge helps pay for Parking and Transportation Services personnel addressing traffic flow problems during special on-campus events, and facilitates appropriate parking during snow removal efforts.

Students

It is necessary for all vehicles parked on surface lots on property owned or under the control of USM to display a valid USM decal or other recognized parking permit.  For those students parking in the garage, only a USM card is required.  Unfortunately, during peak parking periods, the display of a decal or permit does not guarantee a place to park.

Decals can be obtained by presenting the current vehicle registration and by completing and submitting the appropriate decal registration form to Parking and Transportation Services.  The office in Portland is located on Level 1 near the entrance to the parking garage.  The office in Gorham is located in the USM Police Department in Upton Hall.  For Portland Hall residents, decals can only be obtained at the Residential Life office.

For students taking classes on the Portland or Gorham campus, the transportation fee covers the cost of a decal for one vehicle.  For a fee of $20.00 per vehicle, students are welcome to register additional vehicles.  All outstanding fines need to be addressed before any decals are issued.  We will work with students who need replacement decals including, but not limited to, vehicle sales or accidents.

Faculty and Staff

It is necessary for all vehicles parked in surface lots on property owned or under the control of USM to display a valid USM decal or other recognized parking permit.  Unfortunately, during peak parking periods, the display of a decal or permit does not guarantee a place to park.  Reminder:  Faculty and Staff decals are valid for a calendar year and can be obtained in December after finals week.

In accordance with University collective bargaining agreements, faculty and staff will pay the agreed upon transportation fee.  All non-represented faculty and staff members will pay a designated percentage of their salary for their transportation fee.  For a fee of $20.00 per vehicle, faculty and staff are welcome to register additional vehicles.  All outstanding fines need to be addressed before any decals are issued.  We will work with faculty and staff who need replacement decals including, but not limited to, vehicle sales or accidents.

Members of collective bargaining units who wish to park in the USM parking garage are required to pay the designated transportation fee, or can choose to pull a ticket at the entrance of the parking garage and pay the “per half hour” charge.

Gorham campus:  Guests and visitors to campus, and departments holding meetings and functions can obtain special parking permits for a reasonable fee from the Parking and Transportation Services office in Upton Hall.  Information on the cost of permits can be obtained by calling the office at (207) 780-5212.  Parking is also available for 25 cents per half hour at parking meters.

Gorham resident students can obtain parking permits for visiting family members and other guests at Parking and Transportation Services or Police Dispatch if Parking Services is closed.

Portland campus:  Guests to campus and visitors attending meetings and functions are limited to parking in the parking garage.  Simply pull a ticket upon entering the garage and keep it with you.  Before going back to your car, stop by the Parking and Transportation Services office at the entrance of the garage and pay the fee, which is 50 cents per half hour.  There is no cashier or way to pay at the exit of the garage.

Please contact the Parking and Transportation Services office at (207) 780-4718 as far as possible in advance of a special or large event to ensure parking for all attendees and for an appropriate level of service from Parking and Transportation Services.

Parking is also available at meters located in the Law School parking lot, in the parking lot beside Payson Smith Hall and the lot at the Glickman Library off the Winslow Street entrance for 25 cents per half hour.

Overnight parking on the Portland campus is only available in the parking garage, which is open from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. weekdays.  Currently, the parking garage is not open on a regular basis on Saturdays and Sundays.

Designated Parking Lots

All USM parking lots have colored signs at the entrances.  The following guide will help you to understand in which lots you can park without incurring a fine:

·        Blue signs: USM employees only.

·        Red signs:  Commuter students, andUSM employees.  Employees may not park in P-2, which is the lot with the red sign in front of the Woodbury Campus Center in Portland.

·        Green signs:  All resident and commuter students and USM employees.

USM honors parking decals issued on other campuses throughout the University of Maine System.  Students and UMS employees are subject to parking according to these guidelines.

Special Parking Areas/Conditions

Disability Parking: Parking in spaces designated and clearly marked for persons with physical disabilities requires the display of either a valid disability registration plate or a valid disability windshield placard. 

Childcare Drop Off/Pick Up Parking:  Parking in the 15-minute daycare drop off spots on the Portland and Gorham campuses is reserved for those vehicles displaying a valid USM daycare parking permit.

General Information

1. Occasionally  vehicles are left in the parking garage beyond the hours of operation.  On an emergency basis, the gates can be opened by the USM police officer on duty.  Contact the officer by calling the University Police Department dispatcher at (207)780-5211, or visit the Police office on the Portland campus at the Sullivan Gym.

2.  Students leaving their personal vehicles on campus overnight during University designated vacation periods are reminded to park in the specific lots to which they have been directed by a Residential Life staff member or by USM Police. Over night hours start at 11 p.m. and end at 7 a.m. the following morning.

3. To facilitate snow removal efforts, it is necessary for students and employees parking on-campus during snow storms and parking bans to move their vehicles to designated spots when required.  Information about impending parking bans is widely distributed by Facilities Management and Residential Life.  Students, faculty and staff should expect that a current or recent snowstorm is indicative of an impending parking ban.

5.  Please be advised that state law prohibits the display of more than one sticker on a windshield in addition to the state inspection sticker.  This is a civil violation with a fine of not more than $50.00, and is enforceable by law enforcement officers.

6.  Personal motor vehicles are not permitted to operate or to be parked on walkways.  Maintenance, service and emergency vehicles are allowed to operate on walkways when necessary.

7.  Unnecessary idling of vehicles is discouraged.

8.  USM assumes no responsibility for damage to, theft from, or theft of any vehicle parked in property owned or under the control of USM.

9.  In compliance with Maine State Department of Environmental Protection regulations, mechanical repairs to all vehicles, with the exceptions of changing a flat tire or jump-starting a dead battery, are prohibited on campus.  Vehicles requiring other mechanical repairs must be driven or towed to an off-campus service facility.  Changing or draining any vehicle fluids is prohibited on University property.  All University vehicles must be serviced in locations designated for that purpose.  The washing of motor vehicles is prohibited on campus.  All University owned vehicles must be washed at locations dedicated for that purpose. 

Penalties

1. The fact that a vehicle is unlawfully parked shall be evidence adequate to establish the unlawful parking of that vehicle by the person in whose name the decal or permit has been issued.

2.  A violation of these guidelines can result in any number of consequences, including but not limited to, receipt of a parking ticket requiring payment of a fine, vehicle booting, towing of a vehicle and responsibility of the owner/operator for payment of related storage fees, or suspension of campus parking privileges.  

3.  The first parking ticket received during the academic year is simply a warning, and no payment is required. However, no such warning is given for the following violations:

a.       Unauthorized Disability Parking ($200 fine)

b.      Blocking a Fire Hydrant

c.       Driving on a Sidewalk

d.      Impeding Snow Removal

4.  Bills for outstanding fines will be mailed periodically.

5.  A compilation of unpaid fines totaling $100.00 or more may result in the booting of that vehicle at any time.  If a vehicle is booted, a $25.00 administrative fee will be added to the total of outstanding fines.  The boot will remain in place until all fines are paid in full, or an agreement for payment has been established.  Agreements may be made with the Parking and Transportation Services offices during regular business hours or with USM Police when the Parking and Transportation Services offices are closed.  If the agreement is broken, the vehicle may be towed at the owner's expense.

Towing Policy

1. A motor vehicle may be towed and stored at the owner's expense in the following situations:

a. Using a disability parking spot without proper plate or placard

b. Parking within twenty (20) feet of a fire hydrant or in a manner that impedes fire-fighting efforts.

c. Obstructing a roadway or a fire lane without special permission from USM Police.

d. Displaying invalid registration plates, or the abandonment of a vehicle.

e. Hindering snow removal operations.

f. Unauthorized parking during University designated vacation periods, snowstorms and parking bans.

2. When a vehicle has been towed, the police officer taking such action will notify the dispatcher, who will then document the information in the dispatch logs.  Parking and Transportation Services personnel will send a letter by certified mail within three (3) business days.  Once all fines, towing fees and storage fees have been paid, the vehicle will be released.

Appeals process

A person who wishes to appeal the receipt of a parking ticket must first reduce the appeal to writing, attach supporting documentation, and send it within ten (10) business days to USM Parking and Transportation Services USM Police Department, 37 College Avenue, Gorham, ME  04038.  Appellants can either download an appeal form from the Parking and Transportation Services web site at: http://www.usm.maine.edu/police/parking.htm, or write their own letter of appeal.  Parking and Transportation Services will then contact the appellant within ten (10) business days with a written decision.  

If no agreement to void the ticket can be reached as a result of this second appeal, the appellant may exercise a third and final appeal to:  Vice President, Division of Student and University Life, University of Southern Maine, P. O. Box 9300, Portland, ME  04104.  The decision of the Vice President, Division of Student and University Life, will be final and not subject to further review.

Changes to Parking and Transportation Services Guidelines

Changes made to these guidelines between printings will be on the Parking and Transportation web site at:  http://www.usm.maine.edu/police/mvguidelines.htm

Parking and Transportation Services Contact Information

Portland :  (207)780-4718, hours Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Parking and Transportation Services email:  usmparking@usm.maine.edu

Parking and Transportation Services web site:  http://www.usm.maine.edu/police/parking.htm

Transportation Guidelines

Transportation information is provided to make commuting easier, whether from home to campus or campus-to-campus.

Shuttle Buses

Copies of the shuttle bus schedules are available at several locations.  In Gorham, you can pick up a copy in the lobby of the USM Police Department, at the Parking and Transportation Services office, at the Dean of Student Life office in the Brooks Campus Center, at the Residential Life office in 100 Upton Hall, and at the Library in Bailey Hall.  In Portland, copies are available in the USM Police office at the Sullivan Gym, at the Parking and Transportation Services office in the parking garage, at the front desk in Portland Hall, at the Dean of Student Life office in the Woodbury Campus Center and at the front desk on the first floor of the Glickman Library.

There is no shuttle service during University established vacation periods, or during winter and Summer Sessions. 

Portland/Gorham:  USM provides shuttle bus service Monday through Friday according to the bus schedule, between the Portland and Gorham campuses, during the fall and spring semesters.  Shuttle bus service is provided on Saturdays according to the bus schedule.  There is no Sunday shuttle bus service.  If the seats are full, limited standing will be allowed at the discretion of the VIP Tour and Charter shuttle bus driver.

Saturday Minibus – Portland/Gorham/Maine Mall

A minibus is provided for Saturday shuttle service for the fall and spring semesters according to the bus schedule.  No standing is allowed on the Saturday minibus.

Departure times:    Shuttle buses and minibuses will be governed by the clock on the exterior wall at the front of Bailey Hall on the Gorham campus; the clock mounted on the wall inside the Woodbury Campus Center in the vestibule closest to the dining hall on the Portland campus; and the clock on the wall at the front desk of Portland Hall.  Departure times may be affected by many factors, including but not limited to, inclement weather, traffic accidents and tie ups, construction projects, and mechanical problems.

Shuttle bus service to and from the Maine Mall in South Portland is available on a limited basis.  Please check the Monday through Friday Portland/Gorham and Saturday bus schedules.  The Drop off/Pick up point at the Maine Mall is at the Sears Automotive entrance facing the “South of the Border Restaurant”. 

Shuttle Bus Drop off/Pick up points are located: 

Portland:

• In front of the Woodbury Campus Center
• Gorham:

• In front of Bailey Hall

Bus Problems

If you have problems with, or questions about, bus service during regular business hours, please contact the Parking and Transportation Services office at:  (207)780-5212.  If problems are reported to an office other than Parking and Transportation Services, there may be a delay in the time it takes to address and correct the problems. 

Public Transportation

Portland Metro offers a special fare of 50 cents for persons with a valid USM ID card.  Maps are available in the Woodbury Campus Center on the Portland campus, the USM Police office located at the Sullivan Gym on the Portland campus, and the Parking and Transportation Services offices in the USM parking garage on the Portland campus and Upton Hall on the Gorham campus.  For more information, Portland Metro Bus Service can be contacted at (207)774-0351.

Car and Van Pool

Car and van pool matching is available at USM online.  For more information contact USM Environmental Sustainability at (207)780-4384 or at their web site:  www.usm.maine.edu/sustain.  GoMaine is a community resource for car pool information and can be reached at (800)280-7433or at:  www.gomaine.org.  

Bicycles

Emergency Medical Transport

In case of injury or serious illness on campus that may require transport to an area hospital, immediately call USM Police at 911 from on-campus phones, or (207)780-5211 from cell phones.  The USM Police dispatcher will send an officer to access the situation and, if necessary, call for a local rescue unit to respond.  Emergency medical transports to area hospitals are usually done by local rescue units.

Campus Speed Limits

Speed limits are enforceable on property owned or under the control of USM by the USM Police Department.

Idling

Unnecessary idling of motor vehicles on campus is discouraged.

Maps and Directions to USM Campuses

Maps and directions to the Portland, Gorham and Lewiston/Auburn campuses can be found at:  http://www.usm.maine.edu/generalinfo.htm.

Pedestrian Guidelines

Maine State law defines “Pedestrian” as a person on foot, or an operator of a wheelchair, or a 4-wheeled or 3-wheeled motorized wheelchair. 

Marked Crosswalks

Operators of motor vehicles must yield the right-of-way to pedestrians crossing within a marked crosswalk.  Pedestrians must yield the right-of-way to a vehicle when crossing a way other than within a marked crosswalk.

Visually Impaired Pedestrians

A motor vehicle operator who fails to yield the right-of-way to a visually impaired pedestrian who is carrying a cane that is predominately white or metallic in color, with or without a red tip, or is who using a guide or personal care dog commits a traffic infraction punishable by a fine.

Alumni Skywalk

For comfort, safety and convenience, pedestrians are encouraged to use the skywalk above Bedford Street that connects the Abromson Community Education Center and the attached parking garage to a plaza between Masterton and Luther Bonney Halls.  The skywalk can be accessed from Level 3 of the parking garage and the second floor of the Abromson Community Education Center.

Campus Lighting

Periodic checks of campus lighting are conducted by USM police.  Deficiencies are reported to Facilities Management for correction.  Please report any lighting concerns or problems to the USM Police Department at (207)780-5211.

Escort Service

The USM Police Department provides escort services to anyone having a safety concern about walking from one point to another on campus.  Escort service can be obtained by calling the USM Police dispatcher at (207)780-5211.  Calls for service are prioritized according to the level of emergency, so a police escort may not be dispatched immediately if all police personnel are involved with other calls.  If this is the case, the caller requesting the escort will be advised of the approximate period of delay.

Safety Tips for Pedestrians

• Use marked cross-walks when crossing the street. 
• Follow pedestrian control signals at intersections.
• Walking at night: 
• Walk lighted, well-traveled routes rather than shortcuts through dark areas.
• Park your vehicle in a well lit area.
• Have your keys in hand and ready to unlock your vehicle.
• Use the buddy system – walk in pairs if possible.
• Be aware of your surroundings and the locations of emergency telephones on  campus.

Call USM Police at (207)780-5211 for an escort if you have a safety concern about walking from one point to another.

A member of the University of Maine System

Division of Student and University Life

University of Southern Maine
P.O. Box 9300, Portland, ME 04104
(207) 780-4141 or 1-800-800-4USM

A member of the University of Maine System