The University of Utah is addressing campus parking shortages through its “College Town Magic” initiative.
In April, the University of Utah Board of Trustees approved a new, underground parking structure just west of the Jon M. Huntsman Center. The garage is expected to add approximately 1,500 spaces to campus.
On May 14, the Utah Board of Higher Education signed off on the university issuing $116 million in bonds to pay for the garage.
“It’s a balanced approach,” said Collin Simmons, executive director of auxiliary and commuter services. “You have to invest in mass transit, parking and alternative modes like scooters, bicycles and pedestrian walkways. This plan considers all those options.”
Construction on the eight-level structure is scheduled to begin this summer at the site of the old Public Safety building, with work expected to be completed within 20 to 24 months. The garage will feature two to three levels beneath 66,000 square feet of future housing, dining and retail spaces.
The project is a cornerstone of U President Taylor Randall’s development plan, designed to create a more vibrant, integrated campus experience.
“We need to provide parking for students, staff and faculty daily, as well as for events at the Huntsman Center and new College Town Magic venues,” Simmons said. “It will be functional parking for everyone.”
Simmons also noted that the university will repurpose land at the historic Fort Douglas site to add several hundred additional stalls over the next few years. Total campus parking capacity is expected to increase by more than 2,000 spaces, complemented by significant enhancements to the campus transit system.
Additional parking currently in development includes:
- End of 2025: 140
- End of Spring 2026: 300
- Fall of 2026 (Fort Douglas): 700
- Fall of 2027: 1,200
Another 2,340 parking spaces have recently been completed or are in progress across campus.