FORT RUCKER, Ala. (September 27, 2012) -- Fort Rucker is making changes to free up more parking spots at the most frequented facilities on post.
"The number of current reserved parking spots on Fort Rucker will be reduced in order to make room for the additional spots as well as comply with Army regulation," according to Maj. Joshua Munch, deputy provost marshal for the Directorate of Public Safety.
"What we're doing is getting into compliance with regulation FR190-5," said Munch, adding that the directive came from Maj. Gen. Kevin W. Mangum, U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence and Fort Rucker Commanding General.
"When you go to the commissary or the post exchange, there appears to be a large number of reserved spots," he said, "so, we will be reducing those reserved spots."
In addition to a spot for the Fort Rucker Volunteer of the Month, four parking spots will be designated for general officer, colonel, chief warrant officer 5, and command sergeant major or sergeant major, resulting in an elimination of over half the rank-based reserved spots between the two locations.
According to the Fort Rucker garrison commander, Col. Stuart McRae, this same reduction in parking spots will also be taking place at The Landing, the Andrews Physical Fitness Facility and the Silver Wings Golf Course.
"At these locations the contributions of the post's overwhelming DA civilian workforce will be recognized by including GS-15s on the spots reserved for colonels," he said. "This effort will result in approximately 35 parking spots being returned to the public. The commanding general is committed to reducing the high number of unused reserved parking spots as a gesture of common courtesy."
Although there will be a significant reduction in reserved parking spots throughout the installation, handicapped parking, which is regulated by federal and state laws, will remain the same. Existing handicapped spots that are large enough will now be labeled as van accessible.
"At The Landing, the overall number of handicapped spots will remain the same, but will be expanded to make the spots van accessible, which may reduce the general parking on the first row by one or two spots," McRae said. "This will be more than made up for, though, by the additional general parking that will be gained from the removal of most of the reserved parking."
Additionally, at the post exchange there will be a motorcycle-only parking area in a place that is currently labeled for no parking. According to Munch, that addition will remove the capability for motorcycles to be able to park on the end caps of the parking area.
"Motorcycles will no longer be allowed to park in those areas, and that will be enforced," Munch said.
The parking regulation is also broken down into the unit and duty areas. Units can have military parking spots authorized as well as handicapped and visitor parking for their areas on the installation, but only 10 percent of their parking can be reserved for their senior leaders," he added.
Other changes that will be made include the motorcycle parking at Bldg. 5700. The current motorcycle parking areas will remain, but the spots will be split to make room for two motorcycles in each current spot.
"People should be prepared to see the changes happening in the upcoming week or two," Munch said. "It is expected that the commissary and the post exchange will be the first to adopt the change and the other facilities will follow in the coming weeks."
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