Alameda construction to increase safety

By Nate Swinton

The city of Santa Clara is planning a construction project to improve a hazardous stretch of the Alameda running near the newest residence hall, formerly the Pacific Inn, making it safer and easier for students to cross the street to Safeway.

Beginning in late March or early April, the portion of the Alameda running in front of the Pacific Inn, Taco Bell and Safeway will undergo construction to decrease the curvature of the road and make the four-lane road into two lanes with one large center turn lane.

As planned, the project will also add a bike lane on each side of the road, add additional crosswalks and maintain the street's current parking lanes.

Eunegune Kim, a civil engineer for the city of Santa Clara, said construction on the street has been an issue for sometime.

"It was something that had been brought up awhile ago," he said. "It's common knowledge that the crown is too steep for driving comfort."

The crown is the raised center of the road that allows water to run off to the curb.

Joe Sugg, assistant vice president of University Operations, said the construction will be beneficial for the university. Sugg said the changes to the road will slow down traffic going into where the Alameda and Market Street merge, a corner that has been the sight of many accidents in recent years.

"It's a really dangerous point," said Sugg.

The additional crosswalks will also make it easier for students who live in the Pacific Inn to make their way onto campus, Sugg added.

"[The construction] is a real positive for anyone who's trying to cross the Alameda," he said.

One downside to the project will be the level of noise generated by the construction. Although under city law crews can begin construction at 7 a.m., Sugg said the university has asked the city to wait until 8 a.m. to start. The city has agreed to this start time, according to Kim.

Construction crews will also maintain the flow of traffic during the project, which is slated to take eight to 12 weeks to complete. At least one entrance to every parking lot along the Alameda will remain open, Sugg said.

Students anticipate positive results from the construction.

Sophomore Jonathan Le Plastrier, who lives in the Pacific Inn, said the crosswalks will make it easier to get to campus.

"You usually have to wait [to cross]," he said. "People jay-walk all the time, so it's obvious that they need them."

He added that the extra noise caused by construction crews won't be too large of an issue.

"It's something we'll be used to since Safeway's been under construction since last fall," Plastrier said.

Junior LumOr Chet said she often has trouble crossing the street from Safeway to the Sobrato apartments. She said the crosswalks will help drivers to see her better.

"[They] would be a great idea so drivers wouldn't just think I'm jay-walking," Chet said.