The area between Lockett Hall and the Journalism Building often floods with both vehicles and pedestrians as students flock to bus stops — many without using crosswalks.
“It’s a scary area. When the buses get out and the classes change there’s a lot of pedestrians [in the road],” Assistant Director of the Physical Plant and Facility Services Dennis Mitchell said.
A lack of clearly marked lanes for buses to queue upon often forced them to park in the nearby traffic circle, blocking other drivers.
In response, LSU Parking and Transportation Services funded the remodeling of Fieldhouse Drive with Facility Services and J&W Contractors to increase pedestrian safety and ease the flow of the campus bus service. A landscaped median will separate lanes of traffic, a new crosswalk will be installed in front of Lockett Hall and a dedicated bus lane will be marked with stripes of paint.
“It’s about campus safety,” Mitchell said. “Our goal is to separate the buses from the pedestrians from the vehicles.”
The median’s purpose is to create a traffic calming effect — as was observed after the construction of islands on Dalrymple Drive — and channel pedestrians toward using the designated crossings to protect them from passing
vehicles.
Louisiana has one of the highest pedestrian fatality rates in the United States, with 2.56 deaths per 100,000 people compared to a national average of 1.51, according to the 2014 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Traffic Safety Fact Sheets. Sidewalks have also been broadened in key areas of heavy foot traffic at LSU to make walking safer for
students.
“Our goal is to have the students walk to the crosswalks, which will improve the function of the area and make it safer,” Mitchell said.
The marking of a bus-only lane in front of the Journalism Building is aimed at aiding the drivers in queueing up for passengers and preventing other vehicles from blocking space needed by the buses.
Petroleum engineering sophomore Kayla Lehmann said she had not personally seen any dangerous situations at the site, but theorized that the ongoing construction could create safety issues for students. Once completed, she anticipated the changes would be beneficial for safety.
“I think if it’s dedicated to [improving] the bus lane, it’ll help,” Lehmann said while waiting at the stop.
Inclement weather has slightly delayed progress, but Mitchell estimates that the concrete-laying portion of the median’s construction will reach completion this week, followed by painting and landscaping at a later date.