By Kelsie Smithson

In mid-August, construction began on and around the University of Louisville’s Belknap Campus, and has been causing traffic problems ever since. On top of encountering the traffic issues posed by the ongoing construction, students, staff and faculty also have to deal with the trains that run throughout campus. The train crossings that have been causing problems include the one that intersects Warnock Street behind the Ralph Wright Natatorium, as well as the crossing on Floyd Street, north of Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium.
Students and staff headed to campus get caught by the tracks that cross Floyd Street on a daily basis. Freshman art major Alexis Wade said that she gets stuck by the Floyd Street train anywhere from two to four times per week. It has even interfered with getting to class on time.
“I’ve been late to class a couple different times,” said Wade. “I’ve had to text some of my students in my classes and let them tell the teacher that I am late to class because of the train.”
The train crossing by the natatorium presents multiple problems for drivers on both sides of the tracks. The small section of road that comes before the intersection of Floyd Street and Warnock Street is not large enough to hold the traffic that is trying to get on campus, without causing traffic to back up into and beyond the busy intersection. What makes matters worse is the fact that the trains have a habit of simply stopping on the tracks for unpredictable amounts of time.
“Sometimes I’m already so far up, and backed up in traffic, that I don’t know that the train is going to be there,” said Wade. “I already get stuck in the traffic, so I can’t really do anything about it.”
Kelli Kaiser, a senior justice administration major, stood at the train crossing Monday morning, waiting for a stopped train to move out of the way.
“It comes at inconvenient hours, when people are trying to get to class,” Kaiser said.  “People are late to class because they are stopped by the train.  This is the third one I’ve seen this morning.”
As for the other side of the tracks, drivers that are stuck there also encounter problems. Before the start of the construction on the Eastern Parkway bridge, it was fairly simple to avoid waiting for the train to pass. Old Eastern Parkway, the road that runs below the Eastern Parkway bridge, also runs under the train tracks that are parallel to Floyd Street. Drivers simply had to drive up a few blocks in order to come out on Floyd Street.
With this traditional detour being closed off, drivers have gotten creative in their attempts to get around the trains. Many drive around to the sidewalk that crosses in front of the Student Activities Center ramp, and pull through until they reach the parking lot of Miller Hall. Sometimes they come to find that there is an officer waiting to tell them to turn around.
“I can tell you it’s illegal to drive an automobile on a sidewalk,” said a spokesperson for the Department of Public Safety.
For those students that prefer to wait for the trains to pass, it would seem beneficial to have a specific office or department to address complaints. When The Louisville Cardinal contacted DPS, it was given the number for the parking office, who in turn was not available for comment. But the names of the train companies that affect the Belknap Campus area were obtained from the DPS spokesperson. The first is CSX, who was not available for comment. The second was Norfolk Southern.
“There are two reasons why a train would stop,” said a spokesperson for Norfolk Southern. “Either the train is at a crossway and is letting another pass, or the train is in the process of loading or unloading.”
With this being true, it does not seem likely that the train issue will be resolved anytime soon. As for being trapped inside of campus, Old Eastern Parkway is projected to be open by Dec. 31, according to the roadwork updates provided by the university. For the time being, students can drive south on South Brook Street, turn right at the gravel lot behind the intramural fields, enter the parking lot behind Speed School of Engineering, and exit onto Eastern Parkway.