For two weeks, passersby have encountered a Campus Safety officer or student worker directing traffic at the crosswalk between Rose of Sharon Prayer Chapel and the McNally campus in an attempt to mitigate confusion for cars and pedestrians navigating the busy intersection. Cars bear the brunt of this, sometimes backing up all the way to the entrance at Biola Avenue.
For now, Campus Safety and administration will continue to staff the crosswalk after chapel, according to Campus Safety chief John Ojeisekhoba.
Ojeisekhoba estimates that the situation will not change before the end of the semester. He also indicated that the administration desires to arrive at the best long-term solution, particularly in light of plans for new science and art buildings at McNally.
A SEARCH FOR LONG-TERM SOLUTION
Because staffing for Campus Safety is meager, manning the crosswalk for an extended period of time each day is unsustainable, according to Ojeisekhoba.
Despite these efforts, some students have not noticed any difference.
“I haven’t noticed any help,” said Hugo Palomares, a junior intercultural studies major.
So far, two options under consideration are a traffic light and a tunnel.
“A stoplight would be less obtrusive to the architecture at Biola,” said Abigail Chua, a senior psychology major.
Other students agreed, noting that it might be less expensive.
“I think the stoplight would be a good idea,” said Rebekah Haile, a senior psychology major.
“I don’t know about the tunnel, I think the stoplight would be more cost-efficient and simpler, but I do think that [the stoplight] would help.”
A stoplight, however, might not solve the problem, as Chief Ojeisekhoba noted that traffic could still back up to Biola Avenue.
Students are concerned that building a tunnel would cause more traffic problems for an extended period while being built.
“A tunnel would be better, but it would back up a lot of traffic [while being built],” said Doug Keller, a freshman intercultural studies major.
Additionally, Chief Ojeisekhoba noted that some students worry about other busy traffic times, such as the 11:45 a.m. – 2 p.m. window, which affect not only the McNally crosswalk, but also the crosswalk at Horton Hall. This, however, does not pose the same traffic hazards as busy streets.
“I feel kind of bad for the cars, because it gets backed up quite a bit,” said Palomares, who always avoids the Rose of Sharon and McNally intersection.
