An already short supply of parking on campus will become even shorter Monday when construction begins on an addition to the Nittany Parking Deck.

During construction on the deck, which is located near the Nittany Lion Inn, 200 W. Park Ave., about one-third of the garage's capacity will be unavailable for use. This will reduce the number of available spots to about 600, Teresa Davis, director of Transportation Services said.

The renovation of the deck is part of an ongoing attempt by Penn State to compensate for the loss of surface parking due to the construction of new buildings on campus.

"We're continually adding space to replace that which will be lost," said Doug Holmes, assistant director of Transportation Services.

The Nittany Parking Deck, which was last renovated in 1993, consists of one six-story section, as well as another smaller two-story section. Holmes said the upcoming construction will replace the smaller section with a six-story piece.

The new addition will add more parking spaces and will create one way in and out of the garage, eliminating two-way traffic in the garage.

"It'll be a little more open, a little more safe," Holmes said.

Also included in the construction plans will be revamped parking lots at the Nittany Lion Inn and a widening of Fisher Road, the access road into the garage.

While the construction will add more parking when it is completed, it could cause headaches for the faculty and staff that normally park in the deck.

"I know it's affecting a lot of people," said Henry Foley, professor of chemical engineering,.

Davis said Transportation Services has provided several alternatives for those without parking spaces during construction. The Red A parking lot on West Campus and the Yellow F lot at the Eisenhower Parking Deck will be used to compensate. Davis said that the alternative parking locations should be sufficient to cover the loss of space at the Nittany Parking Deck.

Students with parking passes may still park in the available garage spaces between 4 p.m. and 7:30 a.m.

The construction at the garage is part of an ongoing process known as the University Park Master Plan. Part of the plan is dedicated to replacing parking space lost to building construction.

"The Nittany Deck is one piece of the Master Plan," Davis said.

She said that the plan also includes the renovations of the HUB Parking Deck made last summer, as well as a revamping of the Eisenhower Parking Deck scheduled to begin at the end of this semester. Future plans could possibly entail the addition of a commuter lot on West Campus and a renovation of Lot 80.

Foley said he thought there was barely enough parking now, but the situation would improve over time.

"I have a feeling in 24 months things will be a lot better," he said.

Until the construction on the Nittany Parking Deck is completed, some faculty and staff members will have to seek other spaces to park on campus. The shortage has prompted some complaints to Transportation Services.

Holmes said the office was working hard to alleviate any deficiency of parking.

"The problem is everyone wants to park 10 feet from their door for free," he said.