The lack of parking on campus has students pulling their hair out. Not only is this frustration cause for illegal parking and tickets, but the cost of meter parking can become quite expensive.

It's evident there needs to be more parking opportunities for students on north campus, and the MSU Board of Trustees appears to be on the right page. The board recently approved a development contract for a $19.5 million, 725-spot parking garage near Morrill Hall.

Apparently, the ramp will eradicate the 400-space deficit on north campus and will most likely be used for faculty and staff, although that remains undetermined.

Since its approval, the project has been met with disdain from East Lansing officials, who say the ramp would unduly clutter Grand River Avenue, the sole entrance and exit for the proposed ramp.

MSU students and traffic concerns need to be kept in mind before this project goes forward. Limiting the parking to staff only would upset many, as we are all in the same boat where parking frustrations are concerned. The student to faculty ratio is already unbalanced when it comes to campus parking.

Perhaps two entrances, one on Grand River Avenue and one on West Circle Drive, would ease traffic, and the East Lansing officials concerns. Not all of the traffic from the ramp should flow onto the same road. Raising traffic volume on an already crowded street is not conducive to efficiency.

Although the ramp is necessary, the lack of student parking - particularly given few current parking opportunities for students visiting Olin Health Center - and the volume of traffic are cause for concern.

Obviously, parking on campus has irritated many drivers, and something needs to be changed. An additional parking structure on north campus is needed, but it should allow drivers to enter onto both West Circle Drive and Grand River Avenue.

The more options drivers have to park on campus, the less traffic congestion will be a problem.