Compiled by the Retriever Weekly Senior Staff
Construction and renovations are necessary at UMBC, but more thought should have been put in scheduling these projects. The Campus Entrance Project is greatly inconveniencing students and jeopardizing their safety during inclement weather.
The current phase of the Campus Entrance Project has left many commuters frustrated. Furthermore, the addition of inclement weather to the messy equation of broken roads plus heavy traffic has left almost all commuters furious.
“I thought I was going to be late despite waking up 30 minutes earlier than I normally would. I felt as if a delay was necessary, from a commuters point of view, because we do not have the benefit of waking up 10 minutes before class and walking over in five minutes, like residents do,” says Rohan Dalwadi, a sophomore biology major.
Dalwadi also states, “It was also dangerous for us commuters to drive in such bad weather. I feel inclimate weather considerations are biased towards the resident students.”
UMBC made a poor decision by starting the Campus Entrance Project in fall 2014, which will continue through the spring 2015 semester. It would have been more reasonable if this construction had started in the warmer months of spring and finished before the winter storms settled in.
The current schedule of the Campus Entrance Project has the greatest bulk of work taking place when fall and spring semesters are in full swing. If the alternate timeline had been chosen, then most of the work could have been completed during the less busy summertime.
UMBC Blvd is the main entrance onto campus, and due to construction the route has narrowed down to two shared lanes. On regular mornings, the traffic is at a standstill on I-195. However, when there is inclement weather, cars are backed up all the way to the I-95 exit ramp.
Although Facilities and Management have emailed students about alternate routes of entrance via Hilltop Rd., Walker Ave., or Shelbourne Rd., many students still prefer the UMBC Blvd entrance. The reluctance to try different entrances may be due to the fact that they do not know how to access them.
For those who still prefer to use UMBC Blvd, the stretch of road is a nightmare. Not only is it narrow and broken, it curves greatly at three parts along the route. As UMBC Blvd meets Hilltop Circle, there is a huge ditch in the middle of the road and attempting to turn left is rather awkward and sharp.
On a normal day, the traffic and road conditions are unbearable. Mixing in snow, sleet and ice, the situation becomes utter chaos.
It is understandable that the administration avoids closing, because students would not be able to reap the full benefits of all the classes they paid for. But when it comes to student safety, their lives are more valuable than their money.
“As for the constant construction, I hate how it takes away from the beauty of the campus,” adds Dalwadi.
UMBC has been ranked #1 in Up-And-Coming Universities by U.S. News and World Report for four years in a row. The title is garnering a large influx of new students, and as a result, UMBC must renovate and expand the campus.
Nonetheless, more common sense should have been applied when scheduling the Campus Entrance Project. As for now, UMBC should not hesitate to delay or close when inclement weather hits the campus.
