About this Location

Facility Overview

Situated at 117 E University Ave in Lafayette, Louisiana, this parking facility serves the University of Louisiana at Lafayette (UL Lafayette) campus community, visiting academics, prospective students, and local guests. Operating primarily as an open-air surface parking area tailored for university semester permit holders and daily visitors, the lot provides convenient, direct access to the eastern perimeter of the university grounds. Because it is an outdoor surface facility, it boasts open-sky clearance with no low overhead beams, making it an excellent choice not only for standard sedans and compact cars but also for full-size pickup trucks, large SUVs, and utility vans that often exceed covered garage height limits.

Prime Location & Nearby Attractions

This parking area boasts an unbeatable central location directly adjacent to the academic heart of UL Lafayette and mere minutes from Downtown Lafayette. Prominent destinations within short walking distance include:

UL Lafayette Main Campus: Immediate pedestrian access to Edith Garland Dupré Library, Earl K. Long Gym, Martin Hall, and the Student Union (all within a 3 to 7-minute walk).
Girard Park: Located just south along University Avenue, this 33-acre city park features walking trails, duck ponds, and tennis courts (approximately 8 to 10 minutes on foot).
Downtown Lafayette: The vibrant cultural hub offering local Cajun and Creole dining, art galleries, live music venues, and festivals along Jefferson Street is less than a mile away (a 15-minute walk or a quick 3-minute drive).
Cajundome & Cajun Field: Located roughly 1.5 miles to the west, making this lot a viable staging ground or park-and-walk/ride option for select Ragin\' Cajuns university and community events.

Access, Navigation & Transit Connectivity

The facility features direct curb-cut ingress and egress along East University Avenue (LA-182), one of Lafayette’s primary north-south transportation arteries. Motorists can easily navigate to and from Johnston Street (US-167), Pinhook Road, and the Evangeline Thruway (US-90 / Future I-49). Lafayette Transit System (LTS) bus routes operate regular service along University Avenue and Johnston Street, connecting drivers smoothly to the rest of the Lafayette metropolitan area. UL Lafayette’s campus transit shuttles also operate nearby routes across campus during active academic semesters.

Facility Amenities & Key Features

Clear Striping & Wide Bays: Marked stalls designed to accommodate passenger vehicles and regional pickup trucks comfortably.
Open-Air Vertical Clearance: No garage clearance restrictions, easily accommodating roof racks and elevated vehicles.
Campus Security: Regularly patrolled by the University of Louisiana at Lafayette Police Department (ULPD), featuring nearby emergency blue-light call boxes on campus.
Digital Payment & Permit System: Configured for UL Lafayette semester parking credentials and digital visitor payment through mobile parking applications such as ParkMobile.
Accessible Stalls: Marked ADA accessible parking spaces positioned near paved pedestrian sidewalks and curb ramps.

Ideal For

UL Lafayette Students & Faculty: Commuters holding active semester parking permits needing dependable daily access to classrooms, labs, and faculty offices.
Campus Visitors & Guests: Families attending campus tours, library researchers, and university event attendees.
City Commuters & Eventgoers: Drivers visiting nearby medical offices, cultural venues, and local eateries along University Avenue.

Visitor & Driver Tips

During the fall and spring academic semesters, spaces fill up rapidly between 8:30 AM and 1:30 PM on weekdays; arriving before peak morning lecture hours is strongly advised. Ensure your valid semester permit is linked to your license plate or displayed according to current university regulations, or initiate your visitor parking session immediately upon parking via ParkMobile or designated campus pay stations to prevent ticketing. On home football Saturdays and special campus festival days, special event parking rules may apply.