Illustration by Cody Angell
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By Wildcat Opinions Board
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Tuesday April 15, 2003
The intersection at North Park Avenue and East Speedway Boulevard is nothing less than a nightmare.
The UA is a city within a city, and Park Avenue is the largest thoroughfare through campus. In the last year, there have been 42 reported accidents at the dreadful intersection, twice more than East Speedway Boulevard and North Mountain Avenue, which has a left turn arrow.
But there is an answer to the intersection's traffic problems: north- and south-bound left turn arrows.
Two green arrows could greatly reduce accidents and make the intersection safer and easier for thousands of UA students and employees.
Right now, the city is studying the intersection to determine whether or not a signal is necessary, and possible. And there are some arguments against it. The turning signal could hold up some traffic and set off the corner's timed cycle.
But if the 90-second cycle must be altered, do it.
Reducing the amount of accidents and increasing pedestrian safety must be the highest priority for city planners. If safety isn't a good enough reason, then what is?
Out of the 68,900 vehicles that travel through the intersection at Park and Speedway per day, a good number of them are affiliated with UA and will have to wait up 15 minutes to make the left-hand turn.
Looking at Park as a residential side street ignores the reality that the street is a highway to more than 1,000 parking spots in the Park Avenue garage, a thoroughfare through campus and a link to stores and restaurants.
More than three decades ago, UA students protested on Park Avenue, demanding that city and university officials address its traffic concerns for the safety of students.
Park Avenue is a major street, and the intersection at Park and Speedway is a major one. So give it a turning light and let traffic flow smoothly.
Hopefully, the city's study will result in a safer intersection at North Park Avenue and East Speedway Boulevard.
Opinions are determined by the Wildcat opinions board and written by one of its members. They are Daniel Scarpinato, Jessica Lee, Jose Ceja, Jennifer Duffy, Brett Fera, Caitlin Hall, Jessica Suarez and Kendrick Wilson.
