UHV installs lights on Ben Wilson Street for crosswalk

2022-05-20

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By Lauren Emerson

Q: How does the new traffic light that has been installed on Ben Wilson Street in front of the university’s student center work?

A: The University of Houston-Victoria installed the new lights for the crosswalk to the east side of Ben Wilson Street in late March. These lights will allow students and other pedestrians to safely cross Ben Wilson Street to access the UHV University Commons student center and library, Don & Mona Smith Hall and a new parking lot at the corner of Ben Wilson and Red River streets.

The lights are a HAWK system, which stands for High intensity Activated crosswalk. When not in use, the lights remain off. When people want to cross the road between University Commons and the rest of campus, they can press a button on the light pole. Once activated, the lights will flash yellow for a few seconds to alert approaching vehicles. Then, the lights will turn red for 15 seconds, stopping traffic to allow pedestrians to cross. Afterward, the lights will turn off again and remain dark.

The crosswalk will help pedestrians cross the road safely while the university continues to work toward redesigning Ben Wilson Street. The street plans are still in the design phase, and the university anticipates a complete design by October. Once the design is completed and approved, the university will find a contractor and plans to start construction in spring 2021.

This crosswalk is just the first of a few construction projects nearing completion at UHV. Inside University Commons, the new Chick-fil-A is expected to be finished by early August. The restaurant plans to have a soft opening during the first couple of weeks of August to prepare for the start of the fall semester in late August.

Another building expected to be open for the fall semester is the UHV Science, Technology, Engineering &Mathematics Building, 3007 N. Ben Wilson St. This three-story, 58,464-square-foot building will feature state-of-the-art labs that will provide students with advanced tools to learn about anatomy, physiology, biology and biochemistry, most of which are required areas of study for careers in medicine, physical therapy, occupational therapy and other health-related professions. There also will be a 120-seat classroom; computer software and study rooms; motion capture, robotics and gaming labs; an immersive, 210-degree visual theater; a computer software server room; and study spaces and spots for students to collaborate.

In addition, Don & Mona Smith Hall next to University Commons will be completed this summer. The residence hall is 82,000 square feet with 280 beds. The university will spend the time after construction is finished and before the beginning of the fall semester to bring in furniture, appliances, technology and other items.

In spring 2021, the university also expects to complete renovation of the property at the intersection of Airline Road and Laurent Street. The 44,000-square-foot building will include kinesiology labs, book storage for the UHV Library, offices for the UHV Small Business Development Center and the Center for Regional Collaboration, and Athletics offices.

The next year is going to be an exciting time at UHV, and we look forward to being able to welcome the community to visit our new buildings once the COVID-19 pandemic has passed.

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