With the beginning of a new semester, safety concerns are being made about students crossing the  street from Watson Library to Northwestern State Marketplace. University Parkway is well known for being a busy intersection.

University Parkway is a state highway and therefore falls under the jurisdiction of the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development.

“It’s a state highway coming through there, and the state actually owns the land that Northwestern is on, so the state is heavily involved,” Mayor Lee Posey said in regard to whether it is a state or city issue. “I think it’s something we’re all concerned about.”

The mayor said there “are plans to talk with DOTD and do whatever we can to make it safe.”

A request has been made to meet with the DOTD, according to Posey.

NSU President Chris Maggio said that the university wants to work with state officials to “see what might be possible” in regard to what can be done to help with the “foot traffic.”

Some NSU students opened up about their thoughts on the situation.

Ashley Russell, a student at NSU, said that a walkway is needed and that “this is really dangerous.”

“They’ve had this in the works for a while, so whoever was on it didn’t do their job,” Russell said when asked what she thinks of the situation.

Ashante Knox, another student, said that “it’s not too bad” but that she still street.

“I feel like that there should be crossing guards, but I guess that’s not really possible with the way the traffic works,” Knox said.

The Marketplace officially opened on Aug. 16.