With the student body presidential campaign underway, students might soon be using a form of transportation that has never been used before.
Presidential candidate Weston Bayes, along with his running mate Sydney Altfield, is proposing a pedestrian bridge to be built over Alafaya Trail and University Boulevard.
“University is one of the busiest areas and sees a lot of traffic from students going to restaurants, retail, housing, and to campus. It is the one of the main entrances to our campus, and with the new Plaza project coming out of the ground for fall 2014, we believe that the need for this bridge will only grow,” Bayes said.
The idea was inspired by a similar bridge built on Semoran Boulevard. Bayes said the bridge would have staircases on both ends with a walkway through the bridge elevated at a safe distance above the road.
Junior Alex Schult rides a longboard and motorcycle to travel to and from campus. He said a bridge would make him feel safer when crossing Alafaya’s busy intersection.
“It would make me feel safe because I know that no matter what I don’t have to worry about any of the stupid drivers or any of the cars driving on Alafaya,” Schult said.
But some students think the idea seems a little far-fetched to accomplish in one presidential term.
“After an accident where one of my friends was killed crossing Alafaya, I believe a safer way to cross the street is crucial and I’m glad it’s being addressed in this new election. I feel like this is going to be a huge undertaking for SGA. In my three years at UCF, I’ve never heard of a project this large,” junior Sabrina Holt said.
However, Bayes said he made sure this project could be accomplished before it was put on the platform.
“We believe that using our current resources, such as our lobbying firm in Gray Robinson and the voice of our large UCF community, we can work with the city to make sure this is a priority on the agenda,” Bayes said.
The funds would come not from student fees. Instead, it would be financed at a state and city transportation level. Bayes said because Alafaya and University Boulevard is a public road used by UCF students as well as the greater Orlando community, his team will be lobbying with Orlando officials to ensure the money would be allocated for this project.
Bayes and Altfield will release the rest of their platform Sunday at Moat Sports Bar & Grill at 9 p.m.
