by Lana Douglas, Triangle staff writer
As each day passes the new entrance to Bryan College becomes closer to completion. However, there is a new addition to the project. The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) requires a light be installed where the new entrance intersects with U.S. Highway 27 to help prevent accidents.
“Their big concern is that we don’t have a student, visitor, parent or faculty…killed at that intersection,” Vice President of Operations Tim Hostetler said.
TDOT uses a formula to determine whether or not an intersection has enough traffic to warrant a traffic light Hostetler said.
“A traffic impact study was prepared and submitted by a consulting engineering firm hired by the college. Their traffic impact study indicated that a traffic signal would be warranted based on projected traffic volumes at the new entrance,” said Jennifer Flynn, regional community relations officer at TDOT.
According to the study, Bryan will have about 300 cars per day going in and out of the new entrance.
“That’s 300 times a day that someone is going to pull potentially out in front of someone else,” said Hostetler.
The new traffic light will be a trip light, according to Hostetler. A trip light has a sensor in the road so the light will not hold up traffic on U.S. Highway 27 if there is no one waiting to enter from the entrance. Because of this technology, the new trip light will not unnecessarily delay traffic like a traffic light on a timer would.
According to freshman Erica Winfrey, the trip light is a good idea because it will keep the flow of traffic going on Highway 27, and people will not have to wait when no traffic is coming.
The new entrance is being funded through pledges and donations. Hostetler said that it is important for students to know that the money for the project is not being taken from their tuition.
The new entrance will be named Landes Way in honor of the alumni who pledged 1 million dollars to help fund the project, said Hostetler.
Dan Fry, owner of Fry Construction and overseer of the project, said he is not expecting the traffic light to slow down construction.
Hostetler said he expects Bryan’s new entrance to be completed sometime in the summer of 2010.