Instead of a busy street, the area between Cobeen Hall and Carpenter Tower is now filled with smooth asphalt, landscaping, and lights.,”Jaywalking from Cobeen Hall to Carpenter Tower is now a thing of the past as the construction of the new 11th Street pedestrian mall is complete.

Instead of a busy street – now redirected around Carpenter in what some have dubbed the "Wiggle"- the area between the two residence halls is now filled with smooth asphalt and landscaping. Students can now roam freely between the two buildings without having to play a game of Frogger by dodging and jumping between the oncoming vehicles.

"We're really excited with the way things are going," said Toby Peters, associate vice president for the Office of Administration. He said students already seem to be enjoying the new 11th Street area.

"The sidewalk makes it feel more like a home," said Alex Guido, a freshman in the College of Nursing. "It gives it a neighborhood feeling."

Guido said the pedestrian mall looks a lot nicer than a typical street and that it will look even better once the flowers come in. She said the area makes her feel safer because she does not have to look both ways before crossing.

According to Peters, the idea for the construction came up as a pedestrian safety concern after discovering that traffic on 11th Street was projected to increase by 60 percent upon completion of an under-construction interstate ramp to which the street connects.

After coming up with a design in March, plans had to move quickly because construction began May 22, Peters said. He said the project kicked off a year ahead of schedule.

Both 11th Street and the pedestrian mall are now operational. Peters said the project should be fully complete by mid-September after being delayed by rain over the last few weeks. This will include landscaping, an irrigation system, permanent traffic control and access for emergency vehicles.

By next spring, Peters said there will be more trees and a variety of flowers. The southbound I-43 ramp should also be open by then.

"Everything has gone flawlessly," Peters said.

According to Peters, there have been no problems during the construction and everything is on schedule.

As for expenses, Peters said the project cost less than what was originally anticipated and that it was partly paid for by using real estate proceeds from the state.

The completion of the 11th Street pedestrian mall also helped relieve some of the stress for students moving into Cobeen and Carpenter last week.

Department of Public Safety officer Davin Rein said the pedestrian mall made move-in faster and easier.

"There has been less traffic, making it easier to get cars in," Rein said.

Rather than directing the busy 11th Street traffic, DPS officers guided students into the mall to unload their vehicles next to the buildings and showed them where to find nearby parking.

"It's definitely safer because now students don't have to worry about crossing between the buildings," Rein said.

Now that the construction is completed, Peters said the "grand opening" of the pedestrian mall will be Friday, Oct. 5, just in time for Family Weekend. He said there will be T-shirts and that he is currently looking for a slogan for the grand opening.

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