Chancellor Philip DiStefano is offering a new idea that has caused great stir amongst the campus.
On Oct.11, during the State of the Campus address, DiStefano said that he would eventually like to see a campus without cars and populated by pedestrians.
One issue raised by those in attendance was pedestrian safety. This topics is especially relevant following a recent incident where a skateboarder was hit by a vehicle on Regent Drive.
DiStefano said he wants to figure out a way to get students from east campus to main campus without the use of so many cars. As part of this, he would like to
Chancelor Phil DiStefano enjoys the homecoming parade on Friday Oct. 21, 2011 on Pearl Street. (CU Independent/James Bradbury)
see campus have zero cars, becoming a completely pedestrian campus.
Some students who currently drive their cars to main campus say they aren’t sure how this new plan would work.
Alexander Gresh, 18-year-old freshman architecture major, brought his car with him to campus since he lives off of main campus in Williams Village.
“I feel like [students] might be a little angry at first, but if we are offered a shuttle or something it would help,” Gresh said. “It depends on if it comes quick enough then they will be fine because most people live pretty close to campus to begin with.”
Nathan Adams, 20-year-old junior international affairs major, said having cars on campus isn’t a big deal and wonders what that means for professors who drive to campus.
“I think that cars are okay on campus,” Adams said. “It would make it a lot harder for teachers to get to campus.”
In an attempt to decrease the amount of cars on campus, the Environmental Center offers a program called Zimride. This allows students to talk to other students online and see if they can carpool to the same place rather than taking multiple cars to the same place.
According to the website, Zimride is a simple way to find friends, classmates and coworkers going the same way you are.
Adams said he sees this as a possibility but wonders if it comes with a cost.
“I think they would have to raise student fees in order to pay for it, which I don’t know that I’m on board with,” Adams said.
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Vanessa Harmoush at Vanessa.harmoush@colorado.edu.
