Every fall and spring semester at the University of Minnesota, a flurry of non-motorized traffic congestion engulfs campus. This year is no exception; from the awkwardly placed, hulking green barrels outside Science Teaching & Student Services that cause bike and pedestrian collisions, to the constantly congested area around the Tin Man statue outside Keller Hall, students are in need of smarter, safer bikeways on campus.

One such bikeway might soon be underway, the Minnesota Daily reported Sept. 25. The potential pathway would connect the Stone Arch Bridge and the Dinkytown Greenway, offering a safer route for cyclists and pedestrians to cross I-35W while avoiding heavy traffic.

The Marcy-Holmes Neighborhood Association is behind the effort, and the Daily reported the path “would run underneath Interstate 35W along the Mississippi River and the railroad tracks near the 10th Avenue Bridge.” The biggest obstacle in developing this path, however, will be negotiating with private landowners.

University students would benefit greatly from this pathway, as it presents a well-protected route for cyclists and pedestrians, and offers a more direct route from campus to the area around the Stone Arch Bridge. Though this is not a University-sponsored project, its impact on students is great and should be supported both by students and local developers.

The University community is in need of more integrated and efficient bikeways to and from campus, and this potential path would go a long way in making the area more accessible.