BBCC builds a parkway to the future
CUTLINE: Heavy machinery decorates the summery landscape at Big Bend Community College, as a parkway, which will close down Chanute street, will be finished by September, enclosing the campus on a loop that authorities hope will ease traffic flow and increase the safety of students on foot.
Loop around campus to ease traffic flow, pedestrian safety
Soon, attending Big Bend Community College will be a walk in the park. Or a drive.
A parkway around campus will be built at BBCC, courtesy of joint efforts from the institution and Grant County.
The parkway, whose construction began Monday, will consist of a 1.5- mile road surrounding BBCC, starting on 32nd Street, north towards Andrews street, looping around the back side of campus on 26th street, and then hooking onto Randolph Road.
Lights will be placed all the way around the parkway, and though Chanute street will be closed, a pathway will replace it.
The $1.5 million project was funded in two-thirds by a state grant from the Transportation Improvement Board, and one third from the county. No money from the college will be spent on the construction of the parkway said BBCC president Bill Bonaudi.
Bob Bersanti, a design construction engineer for Grant County Public Works, which is in charge of the project, said that the parkway, which has been in the minds of the department and the college for about two years, will be finished by the end of September of this year.
One of the purposes of the parkway will be to separate college from non-college traffic, Bonaudi said.
Having the parkway will be a decrease in what Bersanti called the "confrontation" between pedestrians and motorists, particularly for students coming out of class, heading to ball games, or exercising on the sidewalks, as well as a reduction on street parking.
"It will be safer, as far as that is concerned," he said.
Bonaudi said that currently, traffic on Chanute street is a problem, and the parkway will eliminate flow on that street entirely, turning it into a paved walkway.
The parking at BBCC is bound to receive a shot in the arm, given that though street parking on Chanute will be eliminated, four additional parking lots come with the construction of the parkway. Bonaudi said that no existing parking would be lost.
Calling the project "a great idea," Bonaudi said he was excited by the prospect of having the parkway, pointing out that it would add to the college concept and character of a whole campus, instead of a series of buildings.
"There is an aesthetic contribution (the parkway) makes, as well as a practical one," he said. "It will give the public direct access to the library and the ATEC center."
Students gave the upcoming project mostly favorable reviews. As expected, they did not rave about the existing and future closure of streets and pathways due to its construction. Chad Platt said he had had to adjust his time management to make up for the time spent walking.
Some other students viewed the situation from a healthy side. "It makes it harder to drive, but I have two legs," Janel Rangel said. "Besides, isn't 30 percent of Americans obese anyway?"