It’s Tuesday morning, and you get up a little late and are rushing out of the house to compete for one coveted thing: a parking spot. Whether you’re a student parking or a parent dropping off, everyone has experienced the absolute chaos and mayhem of the Arcata High School parking lot. The relatively small area is filled with parents dropping kids off, student drivers re-parking their crooked cars for the third time, or hordes of freshmen randomly stepping in front of your car.
The problem starts on the streets leading up to the parking lot, lines of cars at all the stop signs along the way, and students walking across the street don’t make it quick and easy for drivers to reach school. The second problem arises in the actual parking lot itself, with more and more students enrolling at Arcata High each year, there come more student drivers. As of October 2nd, 2024, enrollment is at 1009 students, 37 more students than the total number at the end of last school year. This coupled with a decrease in overall parking for students, has made the problem even worse.
For example, some students have been told that they are no longer allowed to park in the gym parking lots unless it’s for a sports practice or game after school. Arguably worse, across the street, the Stewart building’s parking lot has been replaced with official parking for Cal Poly Humboldt students only, marking yet another loss for students.
“The whole parking lot is full. L street is full, I barely got a spot…it’s the actual Hunger Games getting a spot sometimes,” Malia Wolven said. “The parking lot makes me not want to go to school.”
It’s not better in the afternoon either. If you’re not a lucky driver who’s first or near the front of the line, be prepared to wait a while. Even worse, if you’re not out before the line of cars starts to form, the chances of a car letting you in front are slim to none. Despite all this waiting, once you’re finally out of the lot, the congestion of cars waiting along 16th and J street wastes more time.
One potential remedy, popular specifically among the upperclassmen, is the idea of priority parking. A seniority system based on your grade level would reward those who are older, hopefully guaranteeing a spot for senior drivers, juniors, then sophomores. Although there is plenty of bias in the opinions of those who support it, the plan would help to mediate the growing number of new drivers. Specifically later in the year, when the majority of sophomores finally get their license, a number that keeps going up year after year.
The parking lot has long been an issue of discussion among students and faculty. With the growing number of students and decreasing number of places to park, students are hoping for a solution to come quickly.