Remove the stoplights and roundabouts near PG5

At FIU, the amount of stoplights has become cumbersome. 

The problem is the layout itself of the spotlights and roundabouts in the P-G 5 area of the Modesto Maidique Campus, behind the School of Computing and Information Technology, where hungry students transit daily to eat at Chick-Fil-A and Dunkin’ Donuts. 

In that street, connected by two roundabouts, there are three stoplights which severely slow down traffic. 

At a commuter school like ours, any systems that might contribute to student tardiness has to be reconsidered.

The motive behind these stoplights and roundabouts are clear: they are designed to prevent accidents. 

But at some point, it’s too much. Excessive caution can be as destructive a vice as recklessness. 

It’s true that roundabouts reduce the number of accidents, since they slow the speed at which vehicles pass and bifurcate them.

In this case, the answer is undoubtedly yes.

But those three stoplights are a completely different story.

Not even on Southwest 8th Street are there three stoplights so close to each other.

If one happens to be traversing that street, one must add at least 10 minutes to their commute estimate. 

The people who put those stoplights there clearly do not have to be in class at 8 a.m. on a Monday morning.

Instead, the University should cut down the number of stoplights to two or even one. With two lights, students will have two points where they can cross over to the parking garages safely, and the traffic isn’t slowed down to a crawl.

Having so much overkill to slow traffic is unnecessary.

Traffic should flow easily in one of FIU’s most popular spots.

One of these stoplights should be removed to make driving here an easier, more pleasant experience.

Stop the excessive stoplights.

Photo by Kun Bao at FIU Flickr