Beginning in the fall, Lake and Olson hall residents will face an inconvenience when they want to park close to their residence hall to unload groceries or belongings.

A new pedestrian walkway will be constructed this summer to replace Janik Drive, and it will help push cars to the perimeter of campus, said Tom Euclide, university architect. 

Randy Ristow, manager of Parking Services, said the walkway will separate the heavy pedestrian area, but it will also change driving patterns for students and employees.

“Our biggest concern is students getting access to the residence halls,” he said.

Residents in Lake and Olson halls will have to adjust to not being able to park in front of the residence halls, Ristow said.

“Parking is going to be limited,” he said.

Abby Creager, freshman interior design major and resident of Olson Hall, said the walkway will be an inconvenience for residents in Olson and Lake halls because they will have to park farther away, but it will benefit students because the sidewalks are too small.

Marci Mahar, freshman justice studies major and resident of Olson Hall, said the walkway will be safer, but the road is more convenient.

Cars will be allowed to drive on the walkway when residents move in and out so they will be able to “move in without carrying their luggage any further,” Euclide said

On move-in and move-out days, Parking Services will control how many cars are on the walkway at a time, Ristow said.

Creager said she does not think controlling the amount of cars on the walkway during move-in and move-out days will lessen the number of problems.

“It’s always chaotic to begin with no matter what,” she said.

Mahar said she thinks the move-in and move-out process will take longer if Parking Services controls the number of cars on the walkway.

Barriers will be put up to prevent students from driving through the area, Ristow said. Even though barriers will be put up, a few students may still drive on the walkway.

“It will probably be an enforcement issue,” he said.

Mahar doesn’t think barriers will stop people from driving on the walkway.

“I’ve seen people drive over the curb in the pay lot just to get out of paying, so of course people are going to find a way to drive on the walkway,” Mahar said.

Creager also said she thinks students may drive on the walkway.

The parking lot between Lake Hall and the M.A.C. Center will still be open for handicapped parking, Euclide said. A road will be constructed from the ceramics lab to the lot.

The final phase of the construction project will be finished in 2006 when Stopher and Johnson halls are completed. A drop-off area will be put in near Stopher Hall and the Art Building.

Contact transportation reporter Lauren Frankovich at [email protected].