Facility Overview
Situated in the heart of Rock Island, Illinois, the 38th Street parking facility at 701-755 38th St serves as a vital open-air surface parking area embedded directly within the Augustana College campus community. This surface lot features standard stall layouts and generous outdoor driving lanes designed to comfortably accommodate a wide variety of passenger vehicles. Because the lot has an open-sky design with no overhead decks or multi-story garage structures, there are no low-clearance restrictions, making it exceptionally accommodating for full-size pickup trucks, large SUVs, wheelchair-accessible vans, and delivery vehicles that cannot fit in conventional multi-level garages.
Prime Location & Nearby Attractions
The facility provides immediate, walkable access to key educational, cultural, and athletic venues across the Augustana College campus and the adjacent College Hill neighborhood. Located within a short stroll are:
- Carver Physical Education Center & Lindberg Center: Located just steps away, serving as home court for collegiate basketball, volleyball, swimming competitions, and student wellness activities.
- Brunner Theatre Center & Honerkamp Guest House: Under a 5-minute walk, hosting college dramatic arts, musicals, and special guest lectures.
- Austin E. Knowlton Outdoor Athletic Complex: Home of Viking football, track and field, and soccer, easily reachable on foot during game days.
- Swenson Swedish Immigration Research Center & Thomas Tredway Library: Located a brief 5-to-8-minute walk across the central campus quad.
- Downtown Rock Island & The District: A quick 5-minute drive (approx. 1.5 miles) to local dining, microbreweries, and arts hubs near the Mississippi River waterfront.
Access, Navigation & Transit Connectivity
The lot offers direct ingress and egress along 38th Street, a principal north-south thoroughfare that connects easily to 7th Avenue (IL Route 92) to the north and Blackhawk Road (IL Route 5) to the south. Drivers arriving via Interstate 280 or Interstate 74 can navigate smoothly to campus via arterial city streets with minimal traffic friction outside of peak class changes and athletic event dismissals. Public transit riders can access Quad Cities MetroLINK bus routes running along 38th Street and 7th Avenue, providing direct connections to Moline, downtown Rock Island, and the Quad Cities International Airport.
Facility Amenities & Key Features
- Spacious open-air ground-level surface parking with unobstructed vertical clearance.
- Clearly marked standard passenger stalls and designated accessible (ADA) spaces.
- High-visibility campus safety lighting and emergency call-box connectivity throughout the immediate perimeter.
- Direct sidewalk connections to campus buildings, academic halls, and sports complexes.
- Routine patrols coordinated by Augustana College Police and Public Safety.
- Smooth vehicular flow with wide turning radii suitable for oversized vehicles and trucks.
Ideal For
- Prospective students, families, and visiting guests touring the Augustana College campus.
- Fans and spectators attending NCAA Division III Viking athletics, track meets, and swimming competitions.
- Patrons attending seasonal theatrical productions and musical performances at Brunner Theatre Center.
- Faculty, staff, and commuter students requiring convenient daily parking near academic facilities.
Visitor & Driver Tips
When planning your trip, note that campus parking regulations may be enforced during standard academic hours, requiring designated campus permits or visitor passes. During major home sporting events or commencement ceremonies, parking in this corridor fills up rapidly; arriving 20 to 30 minutes ahead of scheduled start times ensures stress-free arrival. Always verify posted signage at the lot entrance regarding permit designations, overnight parking restrictions, and winter snow-route towing advisories.
