East Lansing Parking Administrator Dan O’Connor said the city started working on installing the designated parking slots three months ago, starting with the Division Street Parking Structure.

“We’re just seeing an increase in moped parking in the downtown area and we want to provide better space and better security,” O’Connor said.

He said there are no specific statistics showing the increase in mopeds in East Lansing, but said he’s noticed a growing trend.

Parking slots are equipped with anchoring points attached to the ground to lock the mopeds in and insure their safety.

He said moped users still are allowed to park by the bike racks downtown, in addition to the new designated motorcycle parking areas on Ann Street Plaza.

O’Connor said the four motorcycle slots were added upon the request of bikers. Parking in the motorcycle slots require paying a parking fee of 75 cents for half an hour and 25 cents for 15 minutes.

Athletic training junior Stacey Glumm, who owns a moped, said it was a good idea to include moped parking slots, especially that it is free of charge, adding that the designated slots in parking structures would decrease chances of moped theft.

Glumm said she usually parks her moped by the on-campus bike racks.

Mopeds that are 50cc or less are allowed to park by the bike racks on campus, given they are registered and have a permit from the Parking Office, said Lynnette Forman, office supervisor of MSU parking operations.

She said moped users should not park by building entrances, attach their mopeds to signs or park them by fire lanes and ramps.

The safety of mopeds on campus recently came to the attention of police. Last month, MSU police began investigating a string of moped thefts believed to be orchestrated by minors from Lansing.

Students using mopeds that are more than 50cc can park their mopeds in normal parking slots in any of the ramps on campus for a parking fee.

The university offers designated on-campus moped parking areas but are only available for MSU employees. They are located in the Shaw Ramp, South Communication Arts Ramp and in Lots 10 and 59.