About this Location

Facility Overview

The PCC Transportation & Parking Office at Portland Community College’s Sylvania Campus serves as the central administrative and transit hub for students, faculty, staff, and campus visitors. Situated at 12000 SW 49th Avenue in the Far Southwest neighborhood of Portland—right near the border of Tigard and Lake Oswego—the office administers a vast network of paved, open-air surface parking lots (Lots 1 through 14) spread across the 120-acre hillside campus. Because the campus parking network is configured as open-air surface lots, there are virtually no vertical height restrictions or clearance limits found in typical underground or multi-tier garages. This open design makes the parking areas exceptionally friendly for all vehicle profiles, ranging from compact passenger cars and electric commuters to lifted pickup trucks, full-size SUVs, and commercial high-roof vans.

Prime Location & Nearby Attractions

Located on scenic Mount Sylvania, this parking facility places motorists directly adjacent to essential academic, cultural, and athletic destinations on the Sylvania Campus and in the surrounding Southwest Portland community:

PCC Sylvania Performing Arts Center (PAC): Within a 3- to 5-minute walk, hosting campus theater productions, musical performances, and regional community events.
Panther Athletics & Health Technology Building: A short 4-minute walk to campus fitness facilities, competition gymnasiums, and athletic courts.
Amo De Bernardis College Center (CC): Located just 2 to 4 minutes on foot, serving as the social core of the campus with the bookstore, student dining, and student lounge spaces.
Lesser Park & Mount Sylvania Trails: Less than 0.5 miles away, offering forested walking trails and nature paths for outdoor enthusiasts.
Downtown Lake Oswego & Millennium Plaza Park: A 10-minute drive (approx. 4 miles) down Kerr Parkway to upscale waterfront dining, boutique shops, and weekend farmers markets.
Washington Square & Tigard Commercial Hubs: Approximately 10 minutes west along OR-99W, featuring premier retail, department stores, and dining entertainment.

Access, Navigation & Transit Connectivity

Ingress and egress are straightforward and thoughtfully engineered to accommodate high morning and afternoon commuting volumes. Motorists access the campus via SW 49th Avenue, SW Lesser Road, or Kerr Parkway, which feed directly into ring-road connectors (such as Campus Drive and G Street) circling the various parking sectors. Freeway commuters benefit from convenient proximity to Interstate 5 (via Exit 293 at Haines Street or Exit 294 at Capitol Highway/Barbur Blvd) and Highway 99W (Pacific Highway West), both reachable within a 5-minute drive.

For multi-modal commuters, the Sylvania Campus Transit Center operates on site, connecting travelers directly to TriMet bus lines (notably Line 44 via Capitol Highway to downtown Portland and Line 78 providing connections between Beaverton Transit Center, PCC Sylvania, and Lake Oswego). Additionally, Portland Community College operates a free, dedicated intercampus shuttle connecting Sylvania to the Downtown Vanport Building, Cascade Campus, and Southeast Campus.

Facility Amenities & Key Features

Expansive Surface Parking: Hundreds of open-air stalls distributed across dedicated campus lots with wide drive aisles and intuitive directional signage.
Automated Pay Station Kiosks: On-site kiosks located at key staging points (including Lot 5, Lot 9, and Lot 12) accepting Visa, MasterCard, and exact cash/coins.
Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging: Designated Level 2 EV charging stalls available to motorists charging while attending class or campus functions.
Accessible ADA Parking: Generous supply of clearly striped, van-accessible stalls situated adjacent to wheelchair ramps, elevators, and main building entrances.
Comprehensive Campus Safety: Monitored 24/7 by PCC Public Safety patrols, complemented by overhead nighttime illumination and emergency blue-light call stations across parking zones.
Bicycle Lockers & Repair Stations: Secure bike lockers and maintenance workstands positioned near major transit waiting areas.

Ideal For

PCC Students & Faculty: Everyday academic commuters seeking dependable, designated parking with easy pedestrian access to campus lecture halls.
Event & Performance Visitors: Guests attending graduation ceremonies, community workshops, cultural lectures, and theater performances at the Performing Arts Center.
Athletic Visitors & Swimmers: Participants and spectators visiting the campus fitness facilities, gymnasium, and aquatic center.
Park-and-Ride Transit Users: Commuters pairing personal vehicles with TriMet bus routes or the complimentary intercampus shuttle network.

Visitor & Driver Tips

Permit enforcement is active Monday through Friday between 7:00 AM and 10:00 PM during all academic terms. Visitors without term permits must purchase a short-term pass at one of the campus pay station kiosks upon arrival ($2.00 for two hours, $3.00 for three hours, $4.00 for four hours, or $5.00 for an all-day pass) and display the printed receipt clearly on the dashboard. During the first two weeks of the Fall and Winter academic terms, arrive 20 to 25 minutes early, as peak morning hours (8:30 AM – 11:00 AM) see high lot occupancy in central areas. If inner lots near the College Center appear full, proceed along the campus loop road toward Lots 12, 13, or 14 for reliable open spaces.