Traffic lights/parking problems need to be addressed

Editorial Board/FIUSM Staff 

The University’s Department of Parking and Transportation needs to reconsider who handles its University-wide communication.

Student Media has noticed the department has failed to successfully and timely notify the University of certain parking lot and garage closures, especially during the weekdays.

Without proper and timely notification of lot/garage closures, students are left at a disadvantage when scrambling for parking spots in the morning hours, trying to get to class on time. This can lead to tardiness to a class or exam. Should such an event occur during mid-terms or finals, a student may run the risk of missing an examination, all due to not being able to find a parking space.

Many times, students are never notified that parking spots are blocked off for special events on campus until they pull in. People won’t find out until they reach the top floor of the parking garage before being directed to go back down because of “X Event.”

Another area that the department also needs to improve on are the traffic lights on 109th Avenue and University Drive. Despite being present for at least a year, the traffic lights are improperly coordinated, leading to a daily morning traffic jam of vehicles trying to cross the intersection. Even on the weekends, the lights lengthiness creates lines of cars at a time of the week when vehicular traffic is considered to be at its lowest.

While that intersection is very important for pedestrian traffic to be able to cross out of PG5 and Red Garage, drivers need to be given proper time to get through the intersection without wasting time waiting on a red light. The lights should not take as long to change during peak hours as they do during later less-congested hours of foot traffic.

While we do recognize that the department has maintained a good record of warning housing students of lot closures due to football games, the same cannot be said for special events that are dispersed during the week.

While we previously asked that the department improve the manner in which it sends out communications advising the community of lot and garage closures, it seems that a change is yet to occur.

All community members should be notified at least 24 hours in advance of partial/full parking garage closures. We also ask that time be taken to improve and fine tune the sluggish traffic lights. The department should take the time to analyze when there is a high amount of vehicle traffic and when there isn’t. These changes may not be simple and quick to implement but we feel that they are necessary in order to create a more harmonious flow of vehicles throughout campus.

opinion@fiusm.com