1. Alderman Road and McCormick Road
This crosswalk is at the classic intersection of the two main areas of first-year housing. Anyone who wants to go to O’Hill must cross this crosswalk. It is always a good time to see people hurrying to go to class after leaving their dorm and others just trying to grab some food. This intersection is really the most integral crosswalk for many first years as it connects home, food and classes.
2. Alderman Road and Whitehead Road
If you hate the gym, this crosswalk probably makes you shudder. This intersection is very important during football season — so important that there are police officers who govern this crosswalk on game days. During everyday life, however, this crosswalk is mostly important if you are walking to classes that are off Engineering Way or if you are going to the gym. The AFC only has this crosswalk in front of it, so should you be headed to get a sweat in, this is the crosswalk to your final destination.
3. Chancellor Street and University Avenue
The crosswalk that connects Grounds to the Corner in front of the Bank of America is well known by students of all years. There is a Ginkgo tree that sits right by this crosswalk that is a visual icon for all. The berries on the Ginkgo tree are known to smell foul every few months, so it becomes a common practice to hold your breath when walking across this crosswalk towards the Rotunda.
4. McCormick Road and Newcomb Road S.
This one is tricky. Just past the overpass across Emmet Street, this crosswalk is not directly in front of any significant landmarks but it is still well known all the same. There is necessary double crossing as the left side of Newcomb Road S. does not have a sidewalk — just a worn mud path. This is also one of the crosswalks where one is most likely to get hit. For some unknown reason, people like turning down Newcomb Road S. even though it is a dead end. These confused drivers don’t usually know where they are going, so as you’re crossing to the side of the road with a sidewalk, make sure to look out for them.
5. Emmet Street and Jefferson Park Avenue
This is a different type of crosswalk where two roads merge and become one. On the way to Nau Hall along Jefferson Park Avenue, it is a little bit awkward because of the turning lane that doesn’t obey the light cycle, which can be a bit of a hazard when crossing the street. The first half of the crosswalk is always a gamble to see if a car is going to turn and maybe hit you, but the other half has a light so that is always a sure-fire safe crossing.
6. Jefferson Park Avenue and Brandon Avenue
McLeod 1020 is to thank for the significance of this crosswalk. When any lecture is let out of this room, all traffic rules go out the window. About 300 students cross Jefferson Park Avenue at once when the cross sign comes on and most do not make it to the crosswalk — they simply walk down the middle of the road around the cars to get back to central Grounds. Honestly if I was in a car and saw this phenomenon, I would be terrified.
7. McCormick Road by the University Chapel
Coming from the Corner towards central Grounds, there is generally a gamble taken here. There is first the challenge of making it to the North Line or Outer Loop shuttles before they leave the bus stop in front of Alderman Library. Secondly, there is usually a bus on either side of the crosswalk on the Chapel side of the street, so walking between two busses and into the road is a blind game of chance every student must make a few times in their years here.
8. McCormick Road by Monroe Hall
As another super busy intersection, students of all majors and years cross here. This is one of the main crossings to central Grounds from two libraries, Monroe Hall and Newcomb. At this hub of student traffic, I could not imagine being a bus driver and getting stuck on either side of the constant flow of students. Students here feel free to walk across whenever, and it is a rare sight to see a student offering a car to cross the intersection before them.
9. Any of the four crosswalks on McCormick in front of old dorms
These crosswalks are less used and therefore, a little more edgy. Collisions between pedestrians and cars should not even be the most feared issues — it’s bikes, skateboards and electric scooters that people crossing should look out for. At night, these crosswalks become even more precarious as there are less lights, and they become less noticeable to people in or on vehicles.
10. University Avenue and Culbreth Road
This is a less utilized crosswalk, mainly used by members of the Architecture School and people who live in Lambeth. To get to this crosswalk, you walk through tennis courts and other auxiliary fields around Memorial Gym. After crossing, there is an obnoxious hill that no one should look forward to hiking up. Although obscure, this crosswalk is integrated into many people’s lives, especially those who drive along University Avenue.
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