Scenario One: It’s Monday, around four in the afternoon. I’m in my car, waiting to turn left at the light at the intersection of Wallace and Forsyth (the Mallinckrodt intersection). The light changes, and I’m fourth in line. One second goes by. three seconds .10 seconds. Finally I’m able to inch up a car length when the light turns red again. Now I’m merely third in line after one cycle, having been unable to move due to the constant stream of pedestrians and cars turning right at the other side of the intersection.
Scenario Two: Same time, same place. Only now I’m trying to cross Forsyth on foot to go back to the Forty. The walk light comes on and the group in front of me starts crossing. I begin to cross, only to be cut off by a car trying to knife through us and turn left. My friend behind me is crossing as the light turns yellow and has to dodge another car trying to escape the intersection.
While these certainly aren’t the only scenarios that can happen at that intersection, they are scenarios that have probably happened to all of us at some point this year, probably more than once. The fact remains that this intersection is a chaotic, uncontrolled, unsafe black eye on our campus. It frustrates drivers and pedestrians alike.
Starting every weekday morning, and recurring every half hour, there is an exodus of cars and people coming from and going to class. Our school’s thousands of commuters meet its thousands of walkers at this intersection every day, and I’m surprised there haven’t been more tragic results. The Wallace/Forsyth intersection is a mess.
Want to turn left from Wallace onto Forsyth? Don’t even think about making it on the first cycle, unless you’re first in line. Want to cross the street without being tailed by a car eagerly waiting to dart by? Forget it.
The frustrating, disorganized mix of pedestrians and cars isn’t the only problem with this intersection. Although many people may not notice, you cannot turn right on red. This is a good policy when there are lots of kids crossing the street, but is it really necessary at nine at night? There are also no left-turn arrows for cars, so rather than a smooth flow of turning and thru-traffic, you get a mass of cars trying to go different directions at the same time.
The University owes us a better intersection. They created the hazard in the first place by building Wallace Drive, therefore it should be their responsibility to fix it. How best should that be done? I can’t say for sure. I would trust we have building and traffic planning experts to solve that, though I’m not hopeful, considering the intersection’s current state. Here are some ideas:
Option One: Build an overpass, like the one over Forest Park Parkway. This is probably the least aesthetic solution, and maybe not the most efficient, but it would solve the problem. Pedestrians and cars would be totally separated. Would students be willing to walk up and over such short overpass? Would the University like building a structure like that? The answer to both those is probably no, but it is an option.
Option Two: Build an underpass, like the one going to the Forty. This solves the safety problem and escapes the aesthetic issue, but it raises construction feasibility issues. It would have advantages, like increased painting space for student groups, and fewer stairs than an overpass.
Option Three: Re-time the lights and have designated “Pedestrian Walk” sequences. I’d rather wait a little longer at a light and be able to go through the intersection freely once it does turn green, rather than a) battle/avoid mobs running across the street and b) not even make the light to begin with.
Option Three is probably the most feasible and easily completed fix, for the short term, and maybe even the long term. I’ll leave that to our impaneled experts. Something must be done, however, and soon.
Last month a bicyclist was hit by a shuttle; I imagine that to be only the beginning of the tragedies that could take place should the intersection’s problems be ignored.
Jeff is a senior in Arts & Sciences and a Forum editor.