FULLERTON – Students at California State University, Fullerton, who are planning to drive their cars to campus for the first day of classes Monday should leave for class early and expect to wait, as construction has created an even-worse-than-usual parking nightmare for the fall semester.

The main culprit this year is, perhaps ironically, a measure expected to ease parking woes in the long run. The new Nutwood parking garage under construction atop Lots C, D and L will provide 2,500 spaces when it opens in 2004.

Other construction proj ects, including a new performing arts center, are also displacing parking. Altogether, construction has displaced 1,300 spaces, according to a memo Thursday from Associate Vice President Bill Barrett, who acknowledged "there will be challenging times ahead in accommodating all who wish to park on the campus during peak hours."

University officials are bracing for complaints about shortfalls and urging students to take advantage of new, free remote lots being offered at the Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim and the Fullerton Spectrum Fitness Club.

"You can bypass getting a parking pass, and we'll shuttle you in," campus spokeswoman Paula Selleck said.

Students who park at either of the remote lots, in areas leased by the campus as temporary off-site parking, can park for free without a permit and ride a free shuttle to campus. The shuttle runs every 10 minutes.

The Pond parking is in Lot 5 and will accommodate 1,000 cars. The fitness club, located just east of the Orange (57) Freeway near the Target shopping center, has space for 200 cars.

Faculty and staff remote parking is to be provided in the Marriott Hotel parking structure and in new spaces added to Lot A.

Longstanding parking problems will be eased even more by construction of a second new parking structure, to be located on Lots B and K. It will begin construction next year, after the Nutwood garage opens.

April Ulloa, a CSUF junior who doesn't have to worry as much about parking because she arrives early and carpools, said she's not sure how willing her fellow students will be to use the remote lots, especially miles away at the Pond.

"I guess if you live out there it's convenient, but I really don't know how practical it is," Ulloa said. "Once they get to campus and see what the situation is, it will be easier to judge."