J. ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS, Vol. 33(1) 57-69, 2011 PARKING AND TRAFFIC AT A LOCAL UNIVERSITY GEORGIA N. L. J. POLACEK CAMILLE SHAWNTEY GRAHAM James Madison University, Harrisonburg, Virginia ABSTRACT Students arriving on campus for the academic year often bring their per- sonal automobiles. This then leads to an increase in traffic, which has many health implications. To understand students’ driving and parking behaviors on campus, traffic and parking lot counts were performed and a parking survey was administered to randomly selected undergraduate students (N = 1120). Results of these methods revealed primarily single occupancy vehicles in use, almost 70% of participants made multiple trips to campus and drove alone, and parking lots were not equally utilized. Convenience and safety were reasons given for driving. Efforts to improve traffic and parking are underway. INTRODUCTION AND REVIEW OF LITERATURE College campuses impact the communities in which they reside through ebb and flow of students and changing patterns of traffic and congestion. As students arrive on campus for the beginning of the school year, they often bring their personal automobiles as well. In a community of less than 50,000 and with a university of over 18,000, this increase in automobile traffic can be up to an additional 10,600 cars, which can have many health implications. The purpose of this article is to describe how students commute to campus and their decision- making processes surrounding their commute. Health implications of these behaviors are discussed. 57 Ó 2011, Baywood Publishing Co., Inc. doi: 10.2190/ES.33.1.d http://baywood.com