New construction north of the Wellness Center at the curve of University Drive has increased traffic flow and created confusion for students navigating campus.
Ted Eichholz, assistant chief of the UNK Police Department, recommended students to use caution while walking or driving near the intersection.
“It does create confusion, but knock on wood, there have been no accidents,” Eichholz said.
Codi Obermeier, a freshman majoring in music education, said she drives past the intersection at least twice a day.
“It’s pretty bad in the morning and it’s especially busy during lunchtime too, like around noon when everyone’s coming and leaving for classes,” Obermeier said. “I feel like there could be a more efficient way to get people in and out of there.”
Before the UNK Wellness Center opened in 2014, a parking lot occupied the property where the center now sits. While driving, students would turn directly into the parking lot, which led into another parking lot south of Randall Hall. The lot has since been turned into the green space where the antelope statue was installed.
In 2021, the Otto C. Olsen Building, which was directly north of lot 10, was demolished. Lot 10 was then expanded after the building’s removal.
“It does create a little bit of confusion with where the entrance is now,” Eichholz said.
The parking lot by the Wellness Center can be accessed by two separate entrances, by entering east or west off University Drive. The east entrance has two lanes, one of which serves as the lot’s only exit. The two entrances eventually meet near the entrance to lot 10.
Eichholz said the conversion point is what creates confusion on who gets to go first at the intersection.
“There is a sign posted up high saying that the one on the left gets to go first, but oftentimes people on the right will just kind of go.” Eichholz said.
Lauren Richards, a freshman majoring in social work, said the intersection is intricate.
“I think it may be confusing to newcomers, especially freshmen trying to figure out where they need to park and stuff like that,” Richards said.
As of now, there have been no accidents at the intersection, involving pedestrians or vehicles.
While Obermeier has never walked across the intersection, she said she sometimes gets nervous for the people walking.
“Some people don’t wait long enough to let the people walk past,” Obermeier said.
Eichholz said that while walking on campus, especially near intersections, students should put down their cell phones and be aware of their surroundings.
“Put down the cell phone, keep your head up,” Eichholz said. “It is surprising to me how many people walk around with their face buried in their phone and have no idea as to what’s going on around them.”
UNK is looking into different ways the entrance to the intersection can be reworked, but there is no set timeline on when that will happen.
Multiple ideas have been mentioned on how to rework the entrance, including only having one entrance lane and two exit lanes. The idea of installing a roundabout was also mentioned, though Eichholz said that most likely won’t happen due to expenses.
“Hopefully here in the near future some funds will become available, because that’s always what it comes down to,” Eichholz said.
Before the Wellness Center was built, drivers could turn right into lot 9 or go straight into lot 32. Lot 32 was turned into green space after the demolition of the Otto C. Olson building in 2021. 2009 Campus Map Courtesy of UNK Police Department
