Facility Overview

Lot 16AW is an outdoor campus surface parking facility located on the southwestern periphery of the University of California, Irvine (UCI) in Irvine, California (ZIP 92617). Specifically positioned within the Campus Village residential and physical sciences quadrant, Lot 16AW provides designated open-air stalls primarily serving university housing residents, academic researchers, and authorized campus visitors. The facility features a paved single-level layout marked with standardized stall striping, drive aisles, and regulatory signage. Because it is an unobstructed open-air lot free of covered overhead decks, low pipes, or concrete beams, it provides unlimited vertical clearance. This makes Lot 16AW exceptionally accommodating not only for compact and midsize sedans, but also for full-size pickup trucks, tall SUVs, and specialized high-roof utility vans that cannot fit into standard multi-story campus parking structures.

Prime Location & Nearby Attractions

Lot 16AW sits adjacent to key academic hubs and residential complexes on the UCI campus. The lot provides immediate foot access to the Campus Village Student Housing Community and Community Center, placing residents steps from their front doors. It also provides convenient walking access to the biological and physical sciences quadrant, including Frederick Reines Hall, Rowland Hall, Natural Sciences I and II, the Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Building (ISEB), and the prominent Ayala Science Library—all situated within a 3 to 7-minute walk (0.2 to 0.4 miles). Aldrich Park, the circular central botanical park at the core of the campus, is approximately an 8-minute walk away. Athletic venues such as the Bren Events Center, Crawford Hall, and Anteater Stadium, as well as the Claire Trevor School of the Arts and Irvine Barclay Theatre, are located within a 10 to 15-minute walk or a brief campus shuttle ride. Just across Campus Drive lies the bustling University Center shopping district, offering grocery options, cafes, and popular casual dining.

Access, Navigation & Transit Connectivity

Motorists can access Lot 16AW easily via West Peltason Drive and Bison Avenue, turning onto Michael Drake Drive or adjoining service roads into Campus Village. Internal lanes are wide and designed for bi-directional circulation, allowing straightforward maneuvering even during campus move-in periods and morning class transitions. Exiting traffic smoothly rejoins West Peltason Drive, which loops around the campus interior, or Bison Avenue, providing a direct, signal-controlled gateway to California State Route 73 (San Joaquin Hills Transportation Corridor) and nearby Interstate 405 (San Diego Freeway). For public transportation connections, several Anteater Express campus shuttle lines stop within short walking distance, offering direct routes across campus, to the Anteater Recreation Center (ARC), and to off-campus student communities. Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) bus routes also service stops along Campus Drive and West Peltason Drive, connecting travelers to Irvine Station and greater Orange County.

Facility Amenities & Key Features

• Open-air surface parking lot providing open headroom and zero vehicle height restrictions.
• Designated student resident spaces (R-CVGRAD), general stalls, and marked ADA-accessible spaces.
• Equipped with night lighting poles throughout the lot and adjoining pathways for after-dark visibility.
• Campus emergency blue-light call boxes positioned along adjacent walking trails and housing walkways.
• Convenient digital permit enforcement through UCI Transportation and Distribution Services via the myCommute virtual license plate registration system and ParkbyPlate mobile portals.
• Direct proximity to Anteater Express shuttle stops for easy connections across the university grounds.

Ideal For

• UCI Campus Village graduate and undergraduate residents requiring reliable 24/7 on-campus parking.
• Students, researchers, and faculty members heading to the Ayala Science Library, ISEB, or the physical and biological sciences departments.
• Drivers of high-profile vehicles, lifted trucks, or passenger vans that exceed standard parking garage height limits.
• Attendees visiting on-campus residents or participating in department symposiums and weekend campus events.

Visitor & Driver Tips

Parking at UC Irvine is strictly regulated 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and physical paper permits have largely been replaced by virtual license-plate recognition. Before parking in Lot 16AW, verify your permit eligibility through UCI Transportation's myCommute portal or scan posted QR codes to complete guest registration through the ParkbyPlate system. Pay close attention to stall markings, as dedicated resident spaces, staff 'AR' spaces, and maintenance vehicle zones carry specific enforcement rules during daytime academic hours (typically 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM). During major campus occurrences such as graduation ceremonies, move-in weekends, or large Bren Events Center tournaments, surrounding perimeter streets encounter elevated traffic; arriving 20 to 30 minutes early ensures a stress-free parking experience.