All Lined Up But No Cars Will Go: Parking Lot #3 Closed for the Winter
December 2, 2008
Parking Lot #3 survived the April Opening, the summer crush, and the official Grand Opening in September, all without having lined parking spaces. The lot was finally lined at the end of October, and was open with the lines approximately a month before being closed for the season. This view was taken facing southeast at approximately 4:40 PM on Tuesday, December 2, 2008.
With the onset of winter, less parking areas are needed at the new National Park Service Visitor Center. Parking Lot Number 3, the closest parking lot to the Taneytown Road, will be closed until further notice. As Chief Ranger Brion Fitzgerald wrote in an e-mail to the staff, “We close it because we do not think we will need it after the Thanksgiving weekend and NPS Maint is not scheduled to plow it.”
This is similar to winter conditions at the former National Park Service Visitor Center on Cemetery Hill. For most of the winter, the parking lot north of the visitor was closed because maintenance was not scheduled to plow it, and the only lot open was the one between the Visitor Center and the Cyclorama Center.
There are still three parking lots left open at the new Visitor Center: The Bus Parking Lot, Parking Lot Number 1, southeast of the Visitor Center, and Parking Lot #2, south of the Visitor Center.
The lot was closed so that the National Park Service maintenance department won’t have to pay for the materials and manpower to clear it during icy and snowy weather this winter. This view was taken facing northwest at approximately 4:40 PM on Tuesday, December 2, 2008.
The section on the right was mostly used by National Park Service employees, Gettysburg Foundation employees, Volunteers, and Licensed Battlefield Guides. Some of them won’t miss the daily hike to the visitor center during the morning, lunchtime, and in the afternoon. This view was taken facing north at approximately 4:40 PM on Tuesday, December 2, 2008.
The upper (western) three sections were used by the “Great Unwashed” public. This view was taken facing southeast at approximately 4:40 PM on Tuesday, December 2, 2008.
Three other parking areas remain. The bus parking lot… This view was taken facing northwest at approximately 4:40 PM on Tuesday, December 2, 2008.
… Parking Lot #1… This view was taken facing northwest at approximately 4:40 PM on Tuesday, December 2, 2008.
… and Parking Lot #2 which is now the new employees’ parking area. This view was taken facing northeast at approximately 4:40 PM on Tuesday, December 2, 2008.
