Part of Caraway to be blocked

Starting Nov. 23, traffic will no longer have access to Aggie Road via North Caraway Road.

The area in front of the Reynolds Center and Eugene Smith Hall will be closed and used as a pedestrian crosswalk.

Drivers will be able to access North Caraway Road up to the parking garage where they must turn.

The other side of Caraway will end at the Post Office parking lot.

Currently there is a 4-way stop in front of Smith Hall, forcing drivers to stop for pedestrians.

According to an e-mail sent out Friday by Robert Potts, chancellor of ASU, and acquired by The Herald, Potts had been told that Susan Hanrahan, dean of Nursing and Health Professions and "others," were opposed to the road closing.

Potts went on to write that the issue would be reconsidered in an Executive Council meeting today.

Also in the e-mail, Potts brought up the idea of having a pedestrian traffic light that could be triggered by either motion or pressing a button.

According to Ryan Beaird, president of Student Government Association and a member of the Shared Governance Oversight Committee, the decision was brought up to SGOC for review.

The SGOC is made up of five representatives from the faculty senate, five representatives from the staff senate and two student representatives.

The question submitted to SGOC was whether or not the closing was a shared governance issue, which would cause it to be presented as a resolution and voted by organizations involved in university government, such as SGA.

Beaird said the SGOC decided that even though it was an issue that affects all parts of campus, it is a safety issue, therefore it doesn't require shared governance.

"We're going to have some growing pains," Beaird said. "But, it will be safer for students."