Students and faculty who park on the side streets just north of campus returned from break to find their vehicles are no longer welcome in the neighborhood.

In early January, the Transportation and Public Works Department installed ‘Residential Parking Only’ signs along the tree-lined streets leading to campus. The restrictions are part of the city’s Residential-Only Parking Program,  which allows residents and property owners living around TCU, UNT Health Science Center and Will Rogers Memorial Center/Dickies Arena to ask for a ban on street parking.

In this case, there’s no parking between 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. on weekdays on Park Hill Drive, Cockrell, Greene, McPherson and Waits avenues without a city-issued residential parking permit.

“Each of those street segments will have four signs preventing any non-residential parking without a permit, ” said the city of Fort Worth’s Communications Officer, Janice Thompson-Burgess.

She said 67 percent of residents living in the area requested the designation.  The majority of home-owners on the blocks desired must sign the petition in order for it to be reviewed and implanted.

The initial request was sent in late October.

The campus parking crunch for faculty, staff and students on East Campus became more acute in the fall after several lots were closed or moved farther out from campus because of construction. As a result neighborhood streets leading to campus because alternative parking spots.

“I live with two other girls and it becomes tricky when my car is trapped and I have to spend an extra 10 minutes moving all of the cars around,” said junior early childhood development major, Karly Klepper, who lives on Cockrell Avenue. “It’s insanity we can’t park in front of our house.”

The city of Fort Worth enforces all vehicles parked in these areas without a proper permit are to be qualified for a citation.

“A parking citation may be contested or paid within 21 calendar days from the date of the citation. A $25 delinquent fee will be added if the citation has not been contested or paid on time. An additional 30 percent collection fee will be added if the citation has not been paid in full within 60 calendar days,” according to the website.

The city’s residential parking-only program is designed to address safety concerns related to spillover parking in neighborhoods that are prone to attract a large volume of traffic. A clear display of a valid permit must be located on a vehicle to be eligible to park in the area.

In order for any changes to be made, the same majority of residents must deliver a signed petition requesting the signs to be removed.

For more information regarding the Residential Permit Parking Program, visit the city of Fort Worth’s website or call 682-747-6991.