The new school year has brought more than just new majors. On the corner of Van Week Street and Sugar Road in Edinburg, a median that only allows a right turn has been added.
The Vehicular and Pedestrian Safety Committee, consisting of representatives from several university departments, including Campus Facilities Operations, University Police, Campus Auxiliary Services and Environmental Health, Safety & Risk Management, hired an outside consultant to conduct a study on UTRGV traffic.
Oscar Villarreal, director of Campus Facilities Operations, said the study by Perez Engineering showed congestion caused by the two streets.
“They ended up determining that the way that the intersection existed before, without the right-turn-only lane, was causing a lot of conflict with the traffic on Sugar Road,” Villarreal said.
The change was recommended for a “better flow.” Although, some faculty, staff and students do not agree.
Psychology Associate Professor Russell Eisenman said he has had to take longer routes to reach his home.
“You can’t go left, which is where almost everything is that you would want,” Eisenman said. “The police department … Walmart, all the restaurants. I mean, you can eventually get to those, but it’s very difficult.”
He said he does not understand why the median was placed because he believes the traffic was not bad before.
As UTRGV students are driving from the University Library, the Education Building, or anything on the east side of campus, they may reach traffic as students begin the detour when turning on Sugar Road from Van Week.
Lucinda Villasana, a nursing senior, said it is frustrating because her house is to the left, as well as where she goes to eat. She said in order to get to her house, she needs to take a different route.
“The traffic still sucks here because everybody gets out at the same time,” Villasana said. “But it’s just made it really inconvenient for anybody having to turn left ’cause now you have to turn right and go all around the block.”
Although the median was placed to force the traffic to the right, there are still students who go around the median and turn left.
Villarreal said the committee is still reviewing further construction on Sugar Road and will soon be releasing public service announcements to inform the public about safety for pedestrians and vehicles.
He said that the further discussion on the construction will include Student Government Association.
Assistant Chief of Police James Loya represents the UTRGV Police Department in the committee and agrees that the right-turn-only lane should improve traffic, in conjunction with the shuttle stop added, on Van Week in front of the E11 parking lot.
“Part of the right turn only was the addition of the shuttle bus stop,” Loya said, “which was very much needed, so that gives the bus drivers a safe spot to pull in.”
Villarreal said he understands the changes can be frustrating, but the department wants the community to be safe on campus.
“Part of it is culture change,” he said. “We’re so used to doing things a certain way and so the reality is that the university continues to grow and we want it to grow, but we have to evolve with the change.
