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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): SRWC Parking

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If you have questions about other transportation programs, please visit Getting to Stanford to learn more about biking, public transit, and Marguerite services to support your commute.

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  1. I’ve received a parking citation. How do I pay or appeal?
  2. Why doesn't the garage have a visitor parking kiosk? Will one be installed?
  3. Am I able to use the visitor parking app in the Barron Garage?
  4. What should we tell visitors?
  5. If our department has a service vehicle with a Stanford logo, can we park in "service vehicle" spaces at SRWC?
  6. Can departments reserve and pay for parking for our visitors?
  7. What is the process for purchasing department permits?
  8. How can I reduce the cost of my parking permit?
  9. Where should I park at SRWC?
  10. Where are the entrances and exits to the Barron Garage and SRWC parking lots?
  11. Can I use my 'C-SRWC' permit on the main campus or my 'C' or 'A' permit at SRWC?
  12. What are access hours for the Barron Garage?
  13. By what time will I have to get there in the mornings to get a parking spot?
  14. Where is motorcycle parking?
  15. Can I use pre-tax payroll deduction to purchase long-term and daily parking permits ahead of time?
  16. Is there service vehicle parking? (Updated on 1/29/19)
  17. Since I work remotely two days a week, can I purchase a reduced-rate parking permit?
  18. I plan to use Caltrain to get to SRWC, but daily Caltrain parking is expensive. Is there a monthly Caltrain parking pass I can purchase at a subsidized rate?
  19. Can I park on nearby streets as an alternative to parking at SRWC?
  20. How is parking enforced?
  21. Will there be visitor parking on the SRWC campus?
  22. Do electric vehicles (EVs) have to pay for a parking permit and will there be charging stations?
  23. Is there parking for carpools and vanpools?
  24. Is there disabled-access parking?
  25. Can departments purchase parking permits to use on the main campus or SRWC?
  26. Is there parking without permits for child-care drop off?
  27. Is there parking service for events?
  28. How many access points are there in the Barron Garage?
  29. Who has access to park at Stanford Redwood City?
  30. What factors were considered when designing the SRWC parking and transportation program?


1. I’ve received a parking citation. How do I pay or appeal?

Pay your citation

If you have received a parking citation, please pay it within 21 days of its issuance to avoid late charges. You can pay your citation online at pticket.com. Visit Paying a Parking Citation to learn more.

Citations are issued at Stanford Redwood City to help manage parking demand and ensure that only Stanford affiliates and visitors park at SRWC. They also prevent the long-term storage of vehicles on Stanford property. If parking is free or unenforced, parking demand could exceed supply, making it inconvenient for Stanford commuters to find parking on-site.

Research also shows that free parking increases parking demand, and our priority is to encourage and provide incentives for using sustainable transportation instead of driving alone.

Appeal your citation

If you would like to appeal a parking citation, you must request an administrative review from SP+ within 21 days of the citation’s date of issuance. Please note that appeals must be postmarked by the 21st day of its issuance, or the appeal will not be accepted. In addition, all customers must appeal through the SP+ process, not by contacting Stanford Transportation.

2. Why doesn't the garage have a visitor parking kiosk? Will one be installed?

After considering and evaluating whether to install a parking kiosk, SRWC Operations decided not to install one for several reasons.

  • High cost of installation
  • High cost of maintenance
  • Parking is now virtual

3. Can I use the visitor parking app in the Barron Garage?

Yes! Our staff have tested connectivity on separate occasions and in different locations within the garage. There is good to strong connectivity for purchasing and downloading. For greater convenience, we recommend that visitors download the app and set up a ParkMobile account in advance.

4. What should we tell visitors?

Please provide visitors with the ParkMobile Zone number: 

  • Barron Garage: 7200
  • Near Broadway Lot: 7203
  • Near Bay Lot: 7204 

Encourage them to download the Parkmobile app and set up an account in advance. For those who prefer not to use the app, purchasing with a guest account through a web browser is available.

5. If our department has a service vehicle with a Stanford logo, can we park in "service vehicle" spaces at SRWC?

Yes.

6. Can departments reserve and pay for parking for our visitors?

Yes. Visit the "How To" Guides to learn more. 

7. What is the process for purchasing department permits?

There are three key points for purchasing department (long-term and daily), vendor, contractor, and group/reserved event parking permits:

  1. If you are responsible for purchasing department parking permits, please complete our Department Contact Form. Once you complete and submit this form, our office will set up access for you to purchase department permits. You do not need to complete the Department Contact Form if you provided your department contact(s) to Stanford Transportation in 2019.
  2. As of June 20, the following payment options will be accepted (PCards will no longer be accepted):
    1. University departments: PTA
    2. Hospital departments: Cost Center account
    3. Contractors and vendors: Credit card (i.e., Visa, Mastercard, or Discover).
  3. To learn more, visit Department Parking.

8. How can I reduce the cost of my parking permit?

Select the correct permit based on the days you plan to park monthly. Use our FAQ to see whether a daily or monthly permit would work for you.

Purchase your parking permit with a pre-tax payroll deduction and save automatically. You may be eligible to save up to 40%.

9. Where should I park at SRWC?

SRWC commuter parking is available at:

  • Barron Garage (2855 Bay Road) Stanford ID access only. 
  • Broadway Lot (Broadway and Douglas Avenue)
  • Bay Lot (Bay Road and Warrington Avenue) 

Entering and exiting Barron Garage

Please refer to our parking entrance and exit map.

Stanford must be a good neighbor to surrounding communities, hospital colleagues, and patients. Because of this, the University does not support or condone parking off-campus in nearby neighborhoods or the Stanford Health Care clinic parking, as it negatively impacts these communities and individuals.

10. Where are the entrances and exits to the Barron Garage and SRWC parking lots?

Barron Garage:

The address of Barron Garage is 2855 Bay Road, Redwood City.

Broadway parking lot:

The entrances and exits are accessible on Douglas Avenue and Broadway.

Bay parking lot:

The entrances and exits are accessible on Bay Road and Warrington Avenue. 

Please refer to our map on the locations of the entrances and exits.

11. Can I use my 'C-SRWC' permit on the main campus or my 'C' or 'A' permit at SRWC?

Yes. 'C-SRWC' permits are also valid at the main campus. Main campus 'C' and 'A' permits are also valid at SRWC.

12. What are access hours for the Barron Garage?

Access to the Barron Garage requires a Stanford ID 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

13. When will I have to get there in the mornings to get a parking spot?

Like the main campus, parking is a question of where rather than whether you will find a space when you arrive. Arriving later may mean more distant parking. 

14. Where is motorcycle parking?

SRWC motorcycle parking is on Levels B1, 1, 2, and 3 of the Barron Garage.

15. Can I use a pre-tax payroll deduction to purchase long-term and daily parking permits beforehand?

Yes, eligible employees may purchase commuter parking permits using pre-tax dollars, which is estimated to save up to 40 percent. Please refer to our pre-tax payroll deduction eligibility web page to learn more.

Daily and long-term permits can be purchased in advance and with pre-tax dollars. However, please note that you must assign a permit date when purchasing daily permits, and parking permits are non-refundable.

16. Is there service vehicle parking? (Updated on 1/29/19)

Yes, each department may still purchase service vehicle parking permits, which can be used to park in ‘A,’ ‘C,’ residential, visitor, and ‘SV/Service Vehicle’ spaces on the Stanford and Stanford Redwood City campuses.

17. Since I work remotely twice weekly, can I purchase a reduced-rate parking permit?

If you park more than six times per month, purchasing a monthly 'C-SRWC' permit is more economical.

18. I plan to use Caltrain to get to SRWC, but daily Caltrain parking is expensive. Can I purchase a monthly Caltrain parking pass at a subsidized rate?

Eligible employees can enroll in a pre-tax payroll deduction program to purchase monthly Caltrain parking. This program allows employees to save up to 40% on expenses for their sustainable commute.

In addition to parking fees, you may also want to factor in the cost of gas, bridge tolls if applicable, vehicle maintenance, and insurance rates for a complete cost comparison between Caltrain and driving alone. To help commuters make the comparison, Stanford Transportation has a handy Commute Cost & Carbon Emissions Calculator.

19. Can I park on nearby streets as an alternative to parking at SRWC?

Stanford needs to be a good neighbor to surrounding communities. Because of this, the University does not support or condone parking off-campus in nearby neighborhoods, as it negatively impacts these communities.

Please also note that the City of Redwood City has approved a residential parking permit program for neighborhoods adjacent to SRWC to discourage long-term parking by people who do not live in the residential neighborhood. This program will prohibit vehicles without a valid permit from parking for longer than two hours on weekdays from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

20. How is parking enforced?

You can purchase your parking permit through our Parking Permit Management System, and your vehicle's license plate acts as your virtual permit.

At Stanford Redwood City, vehicles parked without a valid Stanford permit or those parked in visitor spaces who have not paid during enforcement hours (6 a.m. to 4 p.m. for commuter spaces and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. for visitor spaces) will be subject to citation and/or towing. There will be gated badge access after hours. Vehicles parked overnight without a valid Stanford permit will be subject to towing. Visit Parking Enforcement and Citations for more information.

21. Will there be visitor parking on the SRWC campus?

Yes, there is designated visitor parking at Stanford Redwood City. Daily or hourly visitor parking may be purchased using the ParkMobile app. There are three ParkMobile zone numbers, but please note that the Bay Lot and Barron Garage are temporarily unavailable to visitors. Visitors can park in the Broadway Lot. Visit our Parking at SRWC map for more information. Explore Visitor Parking for more details.

22. Do electric vehicles (EVs) have to pay for a parking permit, and will there be charging stations?

Like other commuters, EVs must still pay for parking permits at the Barron Garage and surface lots. However, EVs will have access to charging stations, which do not require a permit while vehicles are plugged in and charging. These charging spaces are available to all EV commuters and visitors and must be plugged in and actively charging to avoid citation. 

Electric vehicle charging stations are available through a third party called ChargePoint. Users must sign up to use the chargers and pay ChargePoint for charging sessions. The charging stations will be in the parking garage, and you can visit the EV Charging Station Location and Fees Tables to see rates. The EV parking spots are for short-term parking.

23. Is there parking for carpools and vanpools?

Yes, Stanford Transportation issued vanpool permits that allow users to access free, preferred parking spaces at Stanford Redwood City. Learn more at Vanpool.

24. Is there disabled-access parking?

Disabled-access parking is available for commuters, visitors, and electric vehicle charging spaces.

25. Can departments purchase parking permits to use on the main campus or SRWC?

To support business-required trips between campuses, departments can purchase parking permits, including service vehicles or short-term or long-term business permits, or reimburse employees for visitor parking. However, Stanford's policies prohibit departments from purchasing employee commuter parking permits.

Stanford's goal is to limit the number of single occupancy trips between campuses. Therefore, the University asks departments to ensure that their employees minimize or avoid vehicle trips to campus whenever possible. Expanded audiovisual (AV) and telecommunications technology should enable employees to conduct business more efficiently, saving time and resources.

26. Is there parking without permits for child-care drop-off?

Yes, spaces in front of the Pine Cone child-care center do not require a permit to drop off children. These spots have a 20-minute time limit.

27. Is there parking service for events?

Departments hosting an event with more than ten attendees must reserve parking spaces for their event attendees through Stanford Transportation. If you have any questions, please contact eventparking@stanford.edu or at 650.723.9362.

28. How many access points are there in the Barron Garage?

The Barron Garage, Stanford Redwood City's parking garage, has two entrance and exit points. The first is off Bay Road, and the other is on Barron Avenue.

Garage safety tips:

  • Safety first! Drive slowly and attentively. Anticipate the presence of other motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists.
  • Remain on the right side as you drive around the garage.

29. Who has access to park at Stanford Redwood City?

Stanford University employees who work at SRWC with a valid permit, their guests who have paid to park (via ParkMobile), Stanford service vehicles, and authorized Zipcars are allowed to park at SRWC. Stanford Hospital Clinic staff are not allowed to park at SRWC. They have parking available at their worksite. Stanford Medicine Outpatient Center (SMOC) parking is only for patients or Stanford Health Care employees. SRWC employees may park at SMOC only if they are patients at the clinic.

30. What factors were considered when designing the SRWC parking and transportation program?

Several factors were considered when designing the parking and transportation program for SRWC, including these:

  • Providing an equitable experience with employees at the main campus who purchase parking permits.
  • Offering fiscally responsible solutions while meeting the university’s commitment to sustainability.
  • Incentivizing alternative commutes.
  • Leveraging the opportunities of being located close to Caltrain, free to eligible employees with the Stanford-funded Go Pass.
  • Meeting local regulatory standards and minimizing our impact on our new campus's neighborhoods.