How did the hallway traffic get this bad? The hallway traffic problem is centered around recent renovations and the hallway closure due to them.
Now, most of the traffic is centered around the hallway of the house principal offices, and this slowdown backs up into the farther hallways. But it’s not to say that this is the root of the problem. Really, the whole problem starts at the intersection in the commons area. If the backup really started in a straight hallway, it would be caused by a throughput of traffic in both directions exceeding what is allowed of the hallway. But what is observed is quite the opposite, a straight line of people slowly moving down the hallway. The backup in this hallway is most likely caused by erratic turning and gathering of people toward either end. But, the root cause of the traffic, what slows people down, is an oversaturation of people physically blocking the hallway. The oversaturation of people comes from three hallways merging into one in the common area, causing the traffic to squeeze further up the hallway. Why is this the case? Well, it’s due to the lack of options; there’s only one way to go towards the front entrance and cafeteria.
The whole traffic itself is one of the costs of the renovation. The real question is, was this traffic ever considered? I think at this point, everyone has noticed that it’s gotten bad. If you’ve entered the school, exited through the front entrance, or tried to get to the cafeteria at lunch, you’ve noticed the problem. But the thought that nobody’s ever thought that the traffic could be this bad is strange. So, it’s also interesting to think that it was an acknowledged cost of the construction, that it’s something that was thought about and allowed to happen. Or was it negligible, a price to pay not worth considering?
It shows how we all foot the bill for renovations. It’s a cost for the school and the people in it. So, what do we get from it? Maybe people will look at the school more favorable, direct outside cars more efficiently hopefully. In renovation we sacrifice our time at the school and the ease of our education for the hopes that it’ll get better in the future. And we’re never the ones deciding to make that sacrifice. Is the traffic a cost that should be fully considered? Is it even really a full sacrifice to even care about? It certainly lessens the effectiveness of a lunch and learn period. It’s all about the invisible costs that are made in the maybe slight or grand expense of tradeoffs that the administration makes with our education and with our time. Is it stupid to assume that this should be something that should be weighted as heavily as a cost to do something? And should we do things just because we can do things? All questions to consider now with the hallway traffic.
