Along the given path, the traffic flow is considerably low due to the lack of cars that drive on campus. However, the traffic flow is significantly higher on High street because it is a main road that runs along campus. The traffic flow in this area is two way with the exception of Norwich Ave which is one way. One-way streets are common on and near campus and they help control the flow and speed of traffic. This is very helpful considering the amount of pedestrian traffic that occurs on campus, especially during class hours. Although many of the campus streets are one-way, it makes sense that Woodruff would not be because it acts as a main road that leads across the Olentangy to West Campus. Most drivers on campus appear to adhere to the speed limits. This is most likely because of the frequent stop lights and crosswalks that force them to make frequent stops and does not allow them to gain much speed in between these stops. On High Street however, the speed limit appears to be followed less, most likely because it is a main road that facilitates more traffic.
The sidewalks in the area are in relatively good condition. Most of the sidewalks are wide in order to facilitate a large amount of pedestrian traffic. They also have many crosswalk areas that allow for easy crossings. One possible issue with the sidewalks is the limited space between the edge of the sidewalk and the curb lane of the street. When there is a lot of traffic on high street and a lot of pedestrian traffic along the sidewalk, it can sometimes be nerve racking to watch people walk so close to the edge when there is high speed on coming traffic. This could potentially be solved with the widening of High street. If High street was wider, the traffic congestion during rush hours would also be eliminated, allowing for easier and safer transportation. The width of the streets on campus, however, are in good condition and widening them would potentially cause more traffic flow in the area to occur. This could then pose a problem by affecting the safety of the pedestrian traffic that occurs on campus.
Overall, I think the streets are safe for pedestrian use. There are frequent and well identified street crossing areas across the campus streets and High Street. The signal timing for cross walks is well timed in order to accommodate for both the vehicular and pedestrian traffic, even along High Street. I have never had to wait for an extended period of time when waiting for the sign to change and there are many pedestrian crosswalks on campus that give the pedestrian right of way. This is very useful on campus during class hours when there are large sums of people trying to cross the street in order to get to class on time and they don’t have to wait for traffic signals to change. Most of the areas are accessible for those with disabilities. All crosswalks have sufficient curb ramps and the CODA bus system is wheel chair accessible and the driver make it a very easy process. The safety of the areas could possibly be further improved with the decrease in construction along High Street. With all of the construction, some crosswalks are hard to see to vehicles until they are at the cross walk. This poses a threat to pedestrians crossing the street, especially at night, when visibility is difficult to vehicles.