Now that temperatures are descending into more comfortable ranges, it is not uncommon to see students at Texas A&M University-Commerce walking to class. Due to the compact size of the campus, many students choose to walk daily, regardless of the weather. However, certain areas of campus, such as the intersections surrounding the Sam Rayburn Student Center, possess such heavy traffic walking can become difficult, even dangerous, for students.
The university has a plan to eliminate this problem. This upcoming November, the university is planning to begin work on what has been dubbed the Phase IV project. The main goal of this project is to extend the area known on campus as the ‘Walking Mall’, thereby providing students with more walking space free of vehicular traffic and other nuisances.
The project will begin by closing high traffic areas to cars and diverting traffic to other routes. Such areas like those surrounding the SRSC will be closed to vehicles in order to provide a safe area for pedestrian traffic. Portions of Neal and Stonewall Street will be closed to cars and joined instead with the Walking Mall to provide an extended area for pedestrian students traveling to and from campus locations.
Parking will still be available in existing lots, but vehicle traffic will be diverted. Instead of taking Neal or Stonewall, students will instead use the Science Building parking lot and Cooper Street to access areas on campus, making the campus interior much safer for pedestrians.
Many students may complain that the traffic diversions will make parking and vehicle accessibility much more difficult, but university Facilities Project Manager Jim Patton was quick to counter such concerns.
“The parking situation will not change; the traffic patterns will change,” he said. “There will just be less driving through campus and more walking around the campus.”
Blueprints for Phase IV show this to be true, indicating campus will still be just as accessible to students who prefer driving, but will also become more accessible to those who prefer walking, encouraging the latter option. Designers are planning to make the new walking areas match the rest of campus, including ‘green areas’ for trees and other landscaping options. Nevertheless, the main goal of the Phase IV project is to encourage walking on campus by making it a safer and more convenient option.
“The existing parts of the walking mall have been successful,” Patton said. “This will add to the comfort and usability of this side of campus, with fewer cars students have to contend with.”
Many students on campus can tell tales of dealing with vehicles while attempting to walk, often those manned by their own classmates. With their minds on classes and busy schedules, students often do not pay full attention when behind the wheel, which can pose heavy danger to pedestrians sharing the road.
“I’ve had trouble at crosswalks because I find that cars will stop for students walking, but not for anybody on a bike,” freshman Ashley Derrick said.
Junior Kaycie Clark shared a similar opinion about the hassle of walking around campus. “It’s really annoying having to wait for cars to go by when you’re trying to walk,” Clark said.
Phase IV was created in order to cut down on such instances and frustrations, making the campus overall safer for everybody, including drivers, cyclists and especially walkers.
“It will reduce the amount of driving and encourage people to pick a spot, park, and plan their day better,” he said.
Construction on the Phase IV project is set to begin soon, with expected completion in May of 2010.