Crossing near Locklin Hall on a busy day feels like playing traffic roulette. We wait by the curb, eyeing the steady flow of cars, hoping to find a break long enough to dash across.
The intersection has traffic lights, but they’re no help to pedestrians — no crosswalk signal, no “push-to-cross” button, nothing to alert drivers to stop for people on foot. The result of it is pedestrians being left to fend for themselves, crossing when they “think” it’s safe. And with the cars treating the green light like a free pass, the safety of this crossing is more of a gamble than it should be.
When you add low visibility at night, especially on cloudy or rainy evenings, it becomes an even more dangerous crossing situation. For students heading back to dorms, staff finishing a late shift or visitors unfamiliar with campus, this intersection becomes a real safety concern after dark. The dim lighting and high speed of approaching cars make it a risk that could easily be avoided with a dedicated crossing signal.
Even when oncoming cars face a red light, pedestrians still need to be cautious at this intersection. Drivers frequently ignore the “no turn on red” sign, creating hazards for those crossing.
To make matters worse, cars turning left on a green light must yield to oncoming traffic. This means their attention is split between waiting for a safe moment to turn and watching for pedestrians in the crosswalk. This combination of red-light violations and hurried left turns makes crossing unpredictable and forces pedestrians to remain alert even when they should have a clear path.
Installing a pedestrian push-to-cross light would be a simple, effective solution. A button-activated crossing light would create a designated time for pedestrians to cross, putting the responsibility on drivers to stop briefly and acknowledge that someone is crossing. With this setup, pedestrians wouldn’t have to second-guess or run through traffic but could rely on a safe, predictable signal to guide them across.
Push-to-cross lights are designed to work in harmony with traffic rather than disrupt it. They offer a structured break in the flow of vehicles, with only a short pause that allows pedestrians to cross safely. Instead of forcing cars to halt suddenly when they notice a pedestrian at the last second, a push-to-cross light would alert them early, reducing abrupt stops and confusion.
This intersection connects major campus paths, making it one of the busiest areas for foot traffic. Students like me crisscross this intersection all day to reach classes, the dining hall and other buildings. On top of that, cars are constantly arriving and departing, from parents dropping off students to faculty members commuting in and out.
Despite the heavy usage, pedestrians still lack a straightforward way to cross safely. For students carrying backpacks or pushing through between classes, waiting by the curb for a gap in traffic is a daily frustration that could easily be resolved. Plus, the lack of a safe crossing option can slow down campus life, causing groups to cluster at the curb while they wait for a gap in traffic. This creates an unsteady rhythm in foot traffic and sometimes leads to close calls as people attempt to gauge the speed of oncoming cars.
Campus safety should include the pedestrian experience, ensuring that people feel secure when moving from one building to another. Adding a pedestrian signal here isn’t just about convenience — it’s about creating a safer, more organized campus environment for everyone. In the long term, this addition would improve flow and reduce the risks of accidents.
Photo by Kaitlyn Kupiec/The Student