The Scramble Light, a staple on Ball State University's campus, will be replaced by a traditional intersection in the future.
Jim Lowe, director of engineering and operations for Facilities Planning and Management, said he didn't know when this change would take place, but it will be part of the McKinley Project's upcoming work.
The Scramble Light is a rare type of intersection because of the way it functions, with students crossing the street diagonally while all traffic is stopped, he said. The university wants to change this intersection at McKinley and Riverside avenues because it is confusing, Lowe said.
The new intersection will have similar features, such as the countdown and the speaking timer, but will no longer have traffic completely stop for students to cross in any direction, he said. The change will make transitions much faster because pedestrians will walk parallel to the traffic, and they will also have the right-of-way when vehicles are turning right, Lowe said.
Junior Amber Hyde said she can see how the new intersection would be faster for students, but she thinks students will cut off drivers in the turn lane.
"As long as I get to where I need to be in a timely and safe manner, I will be OK with the change," Hyde said.
McKinley Project's phases three and four will also include construction on McKinley Avenue between Riverside and University avenues and between the Cooper Science Building and Dicks Street.
Lowe said Facilities Planning and Management has wanted to fix these streets, but it is difficult because these streets and intersections are very busy.
"We have been looking at it for seven or eight years," he said.
Lowe does not know when phases three and four will begin, but it will not be this summer, he said. Nor does he know whether the construction done on McKinley and Riverside avenues will be one phase or broken up into phases three and four.
Lowe said Facilities Planning and Management staff are also working on a bigger project that includes construction down Riverside Avenue to Wheeling Avenue, but he said he doesn't have any details about the possible project.
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