Campus Traffic

            Everyone in that lives in the Tuscaloosa area should agree that there is a problem with campus traffic, unless of course they do not have to drive through or around campus in the afternoon they are probably not affected. I know that I for one am affected by this traffic and it is a problem here at the University of Alabama. The traffic is not over the entire campus just in most of the general areas, University Drive, Hackberry Lane and Campus Drive. I am not saying that those are the only areas with terrible traffic, but three of the worst areas.

            On most college campuses it intended for the students to walk to class. Here at the University of Alabama there are walkers, bikers, crimson-riders, and drivers. It seems like we accommodate everyone on this campus and everyway to get to class. The only problem with that is when you try to accommodate to everyone sometimes it doesn’t always work. In our case we try to make it work even though there are ways it could work so much better. When the walkers or bikers are trying to go to class I know that they normally have to give themselves a few extra minutes than they would normally need because there will be several points where they will have to stand and wait on the cars or buses to pass to be able to walk. Likewise with the drivers and crimson-riders, they have to give themselves quite a few extra minutes because they have to wait on the students to cross at the crosswalks or for the drivers sake, they have to make it to there parking spot and then walk the rest of the way to class.

            I love the fact that our campus is so willing to accommodate to everyone’s different needs, but sometimes I feel like there is a different or more effective way to do so. They should consider that the students have to walk around the flowing traffic that is all throughout our campus. It puts the students/faculty/staff at risk for being hit by a car as well as a risk for a driver to hit one of them.

            I myself have been in both positions. Last year as a freshman I lived on campus and had to walk everywhere on campus, and the only thing that would make me late to class is if I did not give myself enough time to walk to the class and wait on the traffic that was flowing around me. This year I live off campus. I not only have to give myself plenty of time because I live two miles away, I also have to consider that I should try not to go down University, Hackberry, or Campus, and then that I have to park my car fairly far away and then walk to my class and still spare a few minutes waiting to walk because of the traffic.

            I feel like this is a serious issue with many of us. Whether it is a student, teacher, faculty member, or just someone who lives in this area in Tuscaloosa. Traffic affects all of us and we should consider different ways to fix this problem.