Anyone who uses the crosswalk at the stadium parking lot will have to start using the tunnel this summer.
A ramp system is currently under construction to make the tunnel compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act so that all students can use it instead of the crosswalk on South Campus Drive.
“The primary goal is to provide an accessible route that did not previously exist,” said Bryan Romney, a building official for the U.
People crossing the street after arriving on TRAX or parking their car in the stadium lot stop traffic along South Campus Drive, backing up vehicles, Utah Transit Authority buses and campus shuttles.
The crosswalk, originally installed to provide ADA access to the main campus, will be closed upon the completion of the new ramp in June, said Norm Chambers, assistant vice president of auxiliary services.
“The paint will be sandblasted off and signs will be installed to direct people toward the tunnel,” said Chambers.
During construction, the tunnel will also see improvements for greater safety.
“Improvements will be made to lighting and an emergency phone will be installed,” he explained.
The tunnel isn’t used more now because people are just lazy, said Sindee Savage, a senior in mass communication.
“It might even be faster to use the tunnel because there is no traffic to deal with,” she said.
The only reason the stadium crosswalk has not been removed already is that the slope to the tunnel is too steep for wheelchairs, said Justin Jones, UTA spokesperson.
Joepete Wilson, director for the U Center for Disabilities, said the tunnel is currently not an option for the people he represents.
Working out a solution has been difficult because the U, UTA and the Utah Department of Transportation are all involved, Wilson said.
“There was not enough funding for the original plan,” Chambers said. “So it was back to the drawing board.”
When the project is completed, there is a possibility to extend the fence along South Campus Drive to cover the openings where the crosswalk currently is, depending on the amount of available money, he said.
Right now, people walk wherever they can fit through the fence, Wilson said.
“The concrete for the ramps has been poured to provide an ADA-compliant slope and the landscaping will be done next,” Chambers said.