Conley Avenue parking garage closure complicates game day commutes for MU students

EDITOR'S NOTE: The number of parking spaces in Conley Avenue garage has been corrected.

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Conley Avenue parking structure, which had more than 700 parking spots, is currently closed for repairs following a recent inspection.

According to MU spokesman Christopher Ave, the repairs are intended to extend the lifespan of the campus's parking facilities. Even if Conley were open, its 720 spots are just a fraction of what’s needed for people who attend Mizzou football games at Faurot Field, which holds over 60,000 people.

Sophomores Jazmin Espino and her friend Sammi Ruth walked from Locus Street to Farout Field, nearly a thirty-minute walk during the Tigers game versus Buffalo on Saturday. However, the two said they don’t mind the extra steps.

"For a lot of students you know, they either live on campus or are not very far," Espino said. "So, it's not that bad of a walk and even if it is, it's a lot of camaraderie. You meet a lot of fans on your way there."

However, not everyone shares their enthusiasm.

MU Junior, Jake Hammond said he finds the closure to be inconvenient.

"I think they should open the parking garage so I don't have that far to walk. I had to pay for a bird to get here from Hitt Street, and it charged me $20 for a bird ride for 5 minutes," Hammond said.

As students navigate busy game days at the university, they said the costs can quickly add up.

"With game days, obviously the population of Columbia rises so much whenever there's a football game and because of that, we really have trouble finding parking. A lot of people usually Uber, but the Uber prices skyrocket," Espino said.

Students say the university’s parking situation has long been inadequate.

"I think even before Conley garage, Mizzou parking has just not been good at all," Ruth said. "Even when I have classes, it's hard to find a parking spot since I live off-campus."

According to Ave, the university expects to receive an update on the timeline for completing the repairs within the next week or two.