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The Daily Tar Heel

Bridge to nowhere: Building a pedestrian bridge over South Road isn't a good use of University funds

No one can deny that pedestrian traffic on South Road is a serious problem but a massive bridge from Student Stores to Stadium Drive is not the most practical solution.

Of course something should be done to revamp  current traffic conditions and improve safety for students walking to and from campus.

Pedestrian safety has become a significant concern this year as two people have been struck and killed by Chapel Hill Transit buses on campus.

While the urge to take immediate action is understandable there are a number of important factors to consider.

The project won't come cheap. A $400000 budget has been allocated for design alone with much more to be spent on construction.

UNC officials should reconsider how urgent a priority a South Road bridge should be.

Given the struggling economy not to mention the University's construction backlog of nearly $1.7 billion which includes some long overdue repairs and safety upgrades on campus this massive structure hardly seems like the most pressing project.

And aesthetically speaking a massive bridge towering over South Road — which must be high enough so buses can pass underneath — right next to one of our most historic campus landmarks (the Bell Tower) just wouldn't fit in with the quaint character of our University.

One simple and less visually obstructive alternative would be to install upright traffic lights at the busiest crosswalks in front of the Bell Tower. This would also eliminate the need for the crossing guards hired by the UNC Department of Public Safety to work during peak traffic hours.

Or if the University has the stomach for it how about our very own free expression tunnel under South Road? At least the tunnel would be hidden from view and serve the same purpose as an unsightly bridge.

UNC will have to make some difficult financial decisions in the months and years to come.

A pedestrian bridge would be a substantial — if unsightly — improvement to South Road traffic conditions. But given the state of the economy it is not the most sensible use of University funds.


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