CONSTRUCTION is up and running on the much-touted South Lawn Project, which is supposed to be completed by 2010. Major construction is taking place in front of Cabell Hall with crews often working late into the evening. Yet for the residents of Jefferson Park Avenue, the construction is not only a big headache, but also a safety hazard.
The connection between JPA and Cabell Hall, which many JPA residents use to get to classes, forms the center of the South Lawn Project. Students have to walk in the middle of a construction site and then face another dangerous crossing across the street itself, often having to dodge cars in order to get to Cabell. Although the current South Lawn Project might greatly improve the school, the current construction poses a risk for thousands of students. Before construction moves any further, the project should take into account the safety of current students and create a safer way for students to cross JPA.
It is the height of irony that one of the goals of the South Lawn Project is to make JPA safer to cross in future given that so many students currently face the dangers of constructionAccording to the plans of the South Lawn Project, a pedestrian walkway or "terrace" will span JPA to allow students to cross the street without worrying about cars. Although this certainly would be a welcome addition to JPA and will add to the safety of the student body, this walkway does not need to come at the expense of the safety of current students.
In response to the needs of students to get to class, there currently is a pedestrian walkway through the construction zone in order to connect JPA with Cabell hall. This walkway is composed of a newly created asphalt path and a chain linked fence on each side. There is regularly construction happening on either side of this pedestrian walkway. There are warnings on the fences that the area inside the fence is a "Hard Hat Area" and several pieces of heavy construction equipment lie very close to the pedestrian walkway. The other day I was walking on this path with a bulldozer several feet away moving a large amount of dirt. The guy I was walking next to turned to me and said, "That's pretty close, huh?"
This incident demonstrates the frustration that many students feel with the current construction.The fact that students have to walk in the middle of a construction site with the possibility of falling debris or other dangers creates an unacceptable risk for pedestrians.
After students make it through this maze of construction, they have to make it through the trip across JPA itself. This trip is dangerous under normal circumstances, but this danger has been heightened by the construction. Several pieces of large construction equipment are close to the road making it more difficult for drivers to see pedestrians. The change in flow of traffic due to the construction has also confused drivers and left only one crossing for pedestrians left on JPA in front of Cabell with little indication of a pedestrian crossing. All of these changes have made it more dangerous for pedestrians crossing JPA and increased the likelihood of being hit by a car.
There are steps the university is taking in order to address the concerns of students according to Ida Lee Wootten, director of Community Relations. Wootten encourages students to sign up for monthly e-mail updates through the Community relations Web site at/www.virginia.edu/communityrelations. These updates give students general information about the construction and the latest information and schedule of the construction.
I certainly welcome and appreciate these efforts to educate and inform the student population about the construction, but I feel that more should be done at the construction level to ensure safety.
The construction of JPA is going to continue for several years and it is of the utmost importance that this construction continues in a safe manner. The University has an obligation to provide for the safety of its students and yet the current conditions for students on JPA are unacceptable. A safer path for students should be created that limits the amount of construction directly next to students.A better marked crossing across JPA should also be erected in order to give drivers a better warning about the heavy pedestrian traffic. These simple changes would go a long way to improving safety of pedestrians at the South Lawn Project and improve the lives of everyone living on JPA.
Sam Shirazi's column appears Mondays in The Cavalier Daily. He can be reached at sshirazi@cavalierdaily.com.
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