Facility Overview

The Taft Street Parking Garage is a modern, multi-level structured parking deck situated at 714 W Taft Street directly within the University of Louisiana at Lafayette (UL Lafayette) campus corridor. Designed to provide safe, sheltered parking for students, faculty, staff, and general campus visitors, the facility offers wide drive aisles, clearly demarcated stalls, and multi-tier covered protection against South Louisiana heat and frequent rainfall. Standard passenger sedans, crossovers, minivans, and stock pickup trucks can navigate the facility comfortably. Drivers of lifted trucks, vehicles with rooftop cargo equipment, or high-roof commercial vans should heed overhead clearance signage (typically posted around 7 feet) at the entryway, as oversized vehicles and utility trailers are better suited to peripheral surface lots across the campus perimeter.

Prime Location & Nearby Attractions

Serving as one of the central parking hubs for the UL Lafayette campus, the Taft Street Garage puts visitors within short walking distance of key educational, cultural, and administrative destinations:

• UL Lafayette Student Union & Quad: A short 3- to 5-minute walk brings visitors straight to the heart of student life, dining venues, and campus events.
• Edith Garland Dupré Library: Located just blocks away, making it an essential parking spot for researchers, students, and academic visitors.
• Angelle Hall & Fletcher Hall: Directly accessible for patrons attending music concerts, fine arts recitals, and academic lectures.
• Girard Park: Situated less than half a mile southeast, offering running paths, green space, tennis courts, and picnic grounds.
• Downtown Lafayette: Located approximately one mile north along University Avenue and Jefferson Street, featuring vibrant Cajun dining, art galleries, live music venues, and seasonal festivals.
• Cajundome & Cajun Field: Located approximately 1.5 miles west, easily reached via campus transit or a brief 5-minute drive.

Access, Navigation & Transit Connectivity

Ingress and egress are positioned directly along West Taft Street, conveniently connected to East Lewis Street, St. Mary Boulevard, and McKinley Street. Major thoroughfares such as Johnston Street (US-167) and University Avenue frame the district, providing straightforward access to Interstate 10 and Interstate 49 for regional commuters. UL Lafayette operates regular campus shuttle loops with stops situated adjacent to the garage, connecting drivers seamlessly to athletic facilities and remote campus facilities. In addition, the Lafayette Transit System (LTS) runs multiple bus lines along nearby Johnston Street and University Avenue, giving non-driving commuters convenient connectivity throughout the greater Lafayette metropolitan area.

Facility Amenities & Key Features

• Covered Multi-Story Parking: Protection from intense southern sun and inclement weather conditions.
• Automated Mobile & Kiosk Payments: Support for mobile payment applications (including ParkMobile) and automated pay-on-foot/pay-by-plate digital stations.
• ADA Accessible Stalls: Clearly marked accessible parking spaces situated adjacent to elevator cores and pedestrian stairwells.
• Safety & Campus Security: Well-lit decks with energy-efficient LED fixtures, emergency blue-light call boxes, and continuous monitoring by the University of Louisiana at Lafayette Police Department.
• Vertical Transit: Smooth passenger elevators and well-maintained stair towers connecting all parking levels to street-level exits.

Ideal For

• University Visitors & Prospective Students: Perfect for campus tours, departmental visits, and admissions meetings.
• Academic Lecturers & Conference Attendees: Central location for workshops held in the Student Union, Dupré Library, or nearby academic halls.
• Campus Performing Arts Patrons: Convenient parking for evening concerts, recitals, and exhibitions at Angelle Hall.
• Daily Commuters: University staff, commuting students, and business associates conducting business on the central campus.

Visitor & Driver Tips

University parking policies are actively enforced on weekdays; visitors must register their license plate through the ParkMobile application or pay stations immediately upon arrival. Peak congestion typically occurs between 8:30 AM and 10:30 AM on weekday mornings during class turnover, so arriving early is strongly recommended. Keep headlights on while traversing the ramps, yield to pedestrians in designated crosswalks, and double-check your floor and bay numbers before heading toward the campus walkways.