Workers finesse airport parking As summer sets in, so do the extra cars at TIA. Parking staffers are wedging them in - and waiting for relief.

[Times photo: Thomas M. Goethe] Cars already have filled the roof of TIA's long-term parking garage by 4:30 p.m. Wednesday. Those who manage airport parking say it will become more difficult as air traffic increases this summer.

By JEAN HELLER

© St. Petersburg Times, published June 8, 2000

TAMPA -- If Bill Canavan tells you where to go, don't get angry. He only wants to help.

Several times a week, Canavan, parking manager at Tampa International Airport, and his employees are out on the concrete slabs and ramps of the long- and short-term parking garages, looking for spaces to park cars.

It's a problem that first arose two months ago and is almost certain to worsen now that school is out and the summer vacation season has begun. TIA's growth is outstripping its capacity to accommodate its customers. And there is no relief in sight until August, at the earliest.

"Just like snowbirds come here in the winter to escape the cold, we leave in the summer to find a spot where it's cool," said Joe Hills, director of parking and ground transportation at TIA. "We're trying to manage the traffic. We make spaces where there are no spaces."

At least five days a week Canavan and his employees, who work for Republic Parking, the contractor that manages airport parking, are out directing cars during peak periods. They know where spaces are, and they know how to position cars in otherwise illegal places so they don't interfere with traffic.

Liza Darling, a marketing analyst in Tampa with Donnelley Financial, said she never has much trouble finding a place at the airport's long-term garage, but she has seen the results of those who have.

"When I'm flying out on Mondays, I never have a problem," Darling said. When she returns to Tampa on Thursday or Fridays, however, Darling said she "sees cars lined up all along the walls in places that are illegal for parking. I guess it gets pretty difficult."

The Great Parking Space Hunt can fray nerves.

"The majority of the people are grateful we're there helping them find a spot," Canavan said. "The others think we're in the way, keeping them from parking where they want to park. But they can't park where they want to because it's full. They call us names or flash gestures and drive off, and they're back five minutes later with their tails between their legs asking for help."

This is the worst time of year for abusive drivers, Hills said.

"People expect crowds and delays during the holidays, but they don't expect it in the summer, especially with the tourists gone," he said. "They're much quicker to anger."

Airport officials say motorists should leave plenty of extra time to find parking and follow Republic employees' instructions.

The most backed-up times are around noon and shortly before 5 p.m. on Wednesdays and Thursdays in the short-term lot. The long-term lot begins to fill up on Thursday and remains congested until late Saturday.

"I'm one of about 20 employees who can park in short-term parking, and I know if I go out at noon, I'm either going to wind up on the roof or out of the building entirely," said airport spokeswoman Brenda Geoghagan.

Parking becomes more difficult as the week progresses because many business travelers park in the short-term lot for days instead of hours.

"Business is so good around the region that companies are willing to pay the extra fees to get their people in and out quickly," Hills said. "It's cumulative. On Monday morning, we had 5,700 cars parked in the two garages. By Tuesday morning, we had 7,400. By Wednesday morning, it was 8,200. And that was before any of the crunch times started for the week."

For nearly two years, TIA has posted monthly record passenger counts, and there is no sign of the boom ending.

"More passengers mean more cars. There's no way around that," Hills said.

The total capacity of the short- and long-term garages is 11,250 cars. In August, the airport plans to open an outdoor, remote lot that can handle 2,100 more cars at a cheaper rate than either garage. Passengers would ride shuttles to the main terminal. The remote lot will increase parking capacity by almost 20 percent and should alleviate the parking crunch, at least temporarily.

If the new capacity proves too little, Geoghagan said, "we could tier the remote lot."

"We could take it up at least three or four levels if we had to," she said.

Times staff writer Pete Young contributed to this report.

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