Students trying to get to Norfolk State University have a variety of modes of transportation. They can drive to campus, take a bus or, now, ride a Tide light rail train at no cost. Free fares make commuting by rail a popular choice, but NSU officials are concerned about tsafety issues posed by the location of the closest light rail station.
Students must cross six lanes of Brambleton Avenue traffic to get to and from the campus to the rail station. Instead of walking one block to use a crosswalk, many choose to cross in the middle of the busy street and just a short distance fro an interstate off ramp. An estimated 50,000 vehicles travel the stretch of Brambleton outside the Tide station each day
No one has been hit so far, but officials say a serious pedestriation accident is sure to occur. Ironically, the light rail station’s riginally planned location on the school side of Brambleton would have eliminated many of these safety concerns. However, voicing crime concerns, NSU administrators urged Hampton Roads Transit to relocate the station. Now, the worries have shifted to the pedestrians who put themselves at risk each time they cross Brambleton.
Some have suggested building a pedestrian bridge from the station to the campus. Though expensive, a bridge would quell many of the fears students have.
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