After a couple of major new building successes, D’Youville College is in the process of turning one of its intersecting streets into a traffic calming campus. For years Fargo Avenue was used as a speedway for local traffic to jet from Porter to Connecticut. Finally the college decided to do something about it. After a number of public meetings it looked as if the original idea of implementing a roundabout was going to get sidetracked in favor of simple speedbumps. I’m glad to see that the ultra traffic calming roundabout made it into the final plan, because it helps to create a zone that feels a lot more like a college campus than a speedy thoroughfare.
Along with the roundabout, you can see that bike racks have been installed, along with new lighting, brick shoulders and crosswalks. Although I took this photo a couple of weeks back, I’m sure that the greenery is in place now. This quality of life enhancements certainly help to anchor the new $23 million academic building seen in the background. With all of the new business advancements on Connecticut Street and the infrastructure improvements on Porter Avenue, the Fargo development is the perfect tie-in.