“Oh crap I have dirt on my new shoes, here we go again!” These are the thoughts of college students as they hike through muddy lawns in order to reach their destinations around campus. There need to be more pathways. Where are the sidewalks?
Sure there are pathways and sidewalks that lead to certain areas around campus, such as the café or the library, but those are not enough. With people continuously walking through lawns and flower beds- destroying some in the process- the pavement system is an area in major need of improvement. In order to navigate pedestrians and cyclists back and forth in a safe and accessible manner. According to sidewalksforbellemeade.org, there are three main ways in which sidewalks can benefit a community: personal enjoyment and fitness, safety and economics. All of these can influence the college in unique ways.
Many places around campus either need pathways or rebuilding of those that exist. The outside of many buildings and offices is littered with broken pieces of concrete and old potholes filled with mud. Not only do these pose a safety hazard for everyone, they diminish the physical appearance of the college. This is evident near B.L. Perry, Foster Tanner music buildings and Gibbs dormitory.
A barren patch of land extends from Gibbs Hall that needs a pathway . This serves as a shortcut for residential students to access the dorm. However with unleveled ground and rugged patchwork, the walk becomes less of a “shortcut” and more of a hassle. This area becomes extremely dangerous during and after rain showers that turn the ground into a slippery mess, with uneven ground adding to the hazard.
Taking the necessary measures to repair and construct the pathways and sidewalks of this spacious campus would go a long way toward amending the quality of the school and boosting its appearance.
The sidewalks should be designed to meet the needs of the maximum number of potential users. Unfortunately, many pathways fail to meet the needs of people with disabilities and busy pedestrian traffic that is ongoing here on campus.
Now is time to take affirmative action to wards a safer and more accessible campus.