Sidewalks and crosswalks needed in Pembroke

Commentary by Alan Chase
Staff Writer

The student population at UNC Pembroke and the business world of the town of Pembroke continue to grow. With this development, we must address how the growing student body can safely access these new businesses.

According to the UNCP Housing Office, there were 1,126 on-campus resident students during the 2004-2005 academic year. This year, the number is now up to 1,764.

Out of the 1,126 on-campus residents last year, only 670 had registered parking permits, according to campus police. Therefore, we can reasonably conclude that about 456 students either do not own vehicles or drive. How do these students get around town?

There are about 300 residents living at University Courtyard Apartments. Out of the 300 students that live there, about 50 don’t have parking permits registered with University Courtyard Apartments. Again, we can conclude that those 50 people use another means of getting out around town besides driving.

Another consideration is the growing number of students with disabilities at UNCP. During the 2004-2005 academic year, UNCP was home to 36 visually impaired students, 41 hearing impaired students, and 128 physically disabled students, according to Mary Helen Walker, director of Disability Support Services.

The campus is occupied by many students who need sidewalks to travel around campus, both to their residences and to local businesses. Students can commonly be seen walking down the middle of the roads in places that lack sidewalks. The most visible problems are near Lumbee Hall and Pine Hall where sidewalks end for no apparent reason.

The many new businesses around town would benefit greatly from sidewalks that connect the entire town to UNCP.

Additionally, laying sidewalks would greatly increase safety along Highway 711, where cars travel up to 45 mph in spots. This problem is especially bad near the Food Lion shopping complex, where many students shop.

Placing sidewalks both on and off-campus must be a priority for a growing university. This project would greatly help both the university and town to grow and would attract more interested developers. It would also greatly increase the safety of both drivers and pedestrians.

The increased number of students riding bikes or walking instead of driving cars, illustrates the need to address the sidewalk issue on-campus and around the expanding town of Pembroke.