How UCLA is prioritizing pedestrians with new improvements to campus access ways

Right in time for returning students and the buzz of a new class of Bruins, UCLA is debuting several mobility revitalization efforts. The projects undertaken by UCLA Transportation help all who traverse the campus, making pathways safe, comfortable and enjoyable - whether walking on foot or rolling by bike - contributing to a healthy, livable, and sustainable environment at UCLA.

Mobility revitalization, with a human-centric approach, revolves around configuring urban spaces to prioritize the pedestrian experience, making places inviting, accessible and safe.

Every year, UCLA Transportation carries out improvements to paths, routes and entry and exit points on campus. The ambition of these department-led projects is to create spaces that facilitate active transportation, reduce stress and encourage social engagement, while positively impacting health and wellness. These efforts tie into the built environment focus area of UCLA's Semel Healthy Campus Initiative.

In South Campus, Bruins will find an improved Westholme Avenue and Charles E. Young Drive East, where music, science, engineering and psychology also intersect. With a frequent flow of foot traffic (feeding into the eastern end of Bruin Walk), the revamped intersection now better prioritizes pedestrians over vehicles. The upgrades include replacing an aging traffic signal with stop signs and adding a new crosswalk at the southern end of the intersection near Parking Structure 2.

Removing a traffic signal in favor of an all-way stop sign has several benefits: improved walkability, inherently reduced vehicle speed, lower upfront costs (no machinery), as well as reduced maintenance and energy costs -making them more sustainable as well.

The new crosswalk provides direct access from Bruin Walk to Parking Structure 2, while the ladder crosswalk on the east end of the intersection has a higher-visibility design.

A new traffic calming measure has also been implemented along Charles E. Young Drive West, by Tom Bradley International Hall, and along De Neve Drive. A pavement marking known as optical speed bars gives drivers the impression that they are traveling faster than their actual speed and encourages them to slow down through the use of transverse stripes with progressively decreasing spacing in the direction of travel.

Traveling by bus is even smoother at UCLA with two upgrades. There's now expanded bus parking on Charles E. Young Drive North, improving safety as riders board and exit. A new bus pad was added on the south side of the roadway, allowing riders to reach destinations in the center of campus without having to cross the road. A sidewalk was installed along the north side of the bus pad to provide safer access to and from this section.

Three benches were placed in front of the Luskin Conference Center Long Beach Transit/BruinBus stop, adding a comfortable place for passengers to wait for their ride.

"Our mobility revitalization efforts contribute to creating a healthier, safer, greener and more vibrant campus that is inclusive for all Bruins and visitors. A campus where physical activity and healthy transportation modes are supported - with transit-oriented development - reducing pollution and fostering social interaction," said Dave Karwaski, director of mobility planning and traffic systems for UCLA Transportation, and co-lead of HCI's BEWell pod.

"Mobility features further transform UCLA into a high-quality urban landscape."

Other projects prioritizing safety, convenience and enjoyment are coming this year: reflective backplates in select signalized intersections to increase traffic signal visibility during morning and evening hours.