Students surely have noticed the ongoing construction near and around Bluford circle. Some were probably wondering when the project would be completed. Well the time is now. The new and improved Bluford Roundabout Circle is complete and ready for enjoyment.

“It was completed on time and under budget,” said Assistant Vice Chancellor for facilities, Andrew Perkins. At $365,000 Vines Architect out of Research Triangle Park in Raleigh designed the roundabout.

Perkins had no feelings about Frank Foster, the student photographed in the A&T Register last week sitting in protest of the Bluford roundabout.

Construction began on the roundabout in early January of this year. The purpose of the enhancement is to provide and promote pedestrian movement from all directions around campus. Located at the intersection of Bluford and Obermeyer streets, this circle helps to ease the flow of traffic and add a different dimension to the campus landscape.

Located just in front of Aggie Village, the fairly new parking deck and the new Proctor hall, the roundabout changes fit right in with other new additions on campus.

Currently, the roundabout consists of flared concrete and granite walkways, bollard lighting, pole lights and a variety of low to the ground plants. Granite seating is also featured on the east-west paver walks.

Eventually the roundabout will encompass a bell tower. The tower will be about 125 feet high and will include the university seal, a clock and a chime for every half hour or every hour. Construction will begin on the bell tower when alumni raise the funds to complete the project.

The roundabout construction project, along with others, is part of A&T’s plan to shift towards a pedestrian-friendly campus. Also, within this plan is encouragement of vehicular traffic towards the perimeter of campus.

Perkins insisted that in 1999 A&T’s campus wasn’t very pedestrian friendly. Walkways were for the most part cut off by streets and roads and vehicular movement.

Since then the campus has improved its sidewalks and walkways for pedestrians, but work still needs to be done.

Perkins said that continuous efforts will be made towards making campus more pedestrian friendly. Soon a new campus master plan will be constructed in which another parking deck will be proposed. This deck would be included in one the major  parts of campus. “Students should be able to walk around campus without being interfered by motor vehicles,” said Perkins.

Students and others interested in knowing more about the Bluford roundabout, the bell tower and other campus projects should log on to the A&T facilities website.

• Shequia Cole