WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) – For those trying to cross South College Road and Randall Parkway, many say it’s a tough path to navigate.
“From my house to campus is very dangerous,” said Eugene Collins, a student at UNCW. “Sometimes I’ll have to wait five or ten minutes for the light to change. Even when it has ‘crossing,’ saying to walk, people are still flying through the intersection.”
Eugene Collins is one of many UNCW students that has to bike across the busy intersection to get to campus — a task some say is a challenge even for top athletes.
“If you don’t have any perfect flexibility when coming across here, I mean you’ve got to fly.” said Michael Creech, a resident in Wilmington.
That’s why Wilmington City Council plans to support a study to find ways to improve pedestrian crossing along S. College Road.
”There are a lot of college housing students that live across College Road, west of the campus, that will greatly benefit from this enhanced safety to get them across College Road,” said Wilmington city councilman Charlie Rivenbark.
Around 80,000 cars drive along the S. College Road stretch in front of UNCW every day, and neighbors say something is needed to make it safer for people to get across.
“I just feel like a walkway would do justice here because you can’t even cross,” said Corin Morgan, a Wilmington resident. “The college students can’t cross. They’re taking a risk every time they do.”
The study will examine possible options like a bridge, tunnel or other potential alternatives. But for pedestrians, any option is better than no option.
“I would feel a lot safer about getting to school,” said Collins. “I wouldn’t be as paranoid and I wouldn’t be late every day.”
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