For weeks, students have been redirected by orange cones and construction workers as they have worked to improve the quality of the crosswalks around campus.
Gary Graham, Parking, Traffic and Transportation director, said there was a study done last spring to determine where new crosswalks should be placed in correlation with the Master Plan.
Graham said the new crosswalks were put in place as part of the plan to make the campus more of a pedestrian campus.
The crosswalk near Johnston Hall is no longer there because it was too close to a main one just south of it, Graham said.
He said the crosswalk in front of Johnston was put up at someone’s request several years ago, but it is not used as frequently as the main one.
The new crosswalks are made with a plastic-type traffic paint that makes the crosswalk more durable.
“We used to have to paint them every 2 to 3 years,” Graham said.
Though the crosswalks have been painted and more have been made, some students said they do not think they will help with safety.
Adrianne McDonald, a merchandising sophomore, said even with the new crosswalks the traffic still does not stop for pedestrians in the crosswalk.
“Even with stop signs, if they see you, they don’t stop,” McDonald said.
The Reveille reported earlier this semester about 25 of the 800 traffic accidents each year involve bicycles and pedestrians.
Derrick Vidrine, an accounting sophomore, said he has seen other drivers slow down especially near East Campus Apartments, and he is more cautious.
“It makes me more cautious because if I see more of those in the road, I know it is more important to slow down,” Vidrine said.
One cause of concern for students is the crosswalk signs or other cars that block the driver’s view.
Graham said they blocked out some of the parking spots near the crosswalks to increase visibility. The pedestrian crossing signs also have been moved from the center of the lane to the sides.
Leonard Johnson Jr., an accounting sophomore, said there should be crossing guards to help people cross.
“It takes so long for people to cross; it would just be easier if someone helped them cross,” Johnson said.
McDonald said she has noticed drivers slowing down and paying more attention around the residence halls, but elsewhere on campus she has not seen a difference.
“I think they make students speed up more because there are more places for students to cross and that takes more time,” McDonald said.