News Editor
These ‘super-crossings’ are expected to improve both pedestrian safety and allow for a further footfall of students.
As part of a programme of improvements to University Avenue, two new “super-crossings” are to be built in order to improve pedestrian safety around the University. These two new crossings are expected to equip University Avenue for the increase in footfall in the coming years when the James McCune Smith Learning Hub and other buildings in the £1 billion campus redevelopment programme start to open.
These “super-crossings” refer to wider crossings points in which a higher number of pedestrians can cross at once while still maintaining a two-directional flow of traffic along University Avenue. Work on the first crossing, directly outside the University’s Main Gate, will start on the 4 March 2019 and is due to be completed by late October. The second, which will be located outside the new James McCune Smith Learning Hub, will start at the end of October and is projected to finish by the end of February 2020.
During the completion of the works a two-directional traffic flow along University Avenue will be maintained, however, cycle lanes will be removed with wider lanes to be reinstated upon completion. The bus stops outside the McIntyre Building and Reading Room will also be temporarily relocated.
Ann Allen, Executive Director of Estates and Commercial Services at the University of Glasgow, said: “We of course understand that this will be a particularly disruptive piece of work for our staff, students and local residents. It is important, however, that we take this opportunity to make our campus safer, and create an environment that better serves and complements our existing campus, and the new developments that we’ll be building in the future.
“We recognise that this is a difficult period for everyone who uses University Avenue and we have been in extensive consultation with Glasgow City Council and our contractors to keep both traffic and people moving and disruption to a minimum. I should like to thank everyone for their patience during this period.”
