Fourth Street is no longer accessible by car on Pomona College’s campus after a summer construction project changed the street into a pedestrian walkway. Parking spaces were also eliminated around Bridges Auditorium to avoid traffic jams and other inconveniences.
“Eliminating parking on Fourth Street and around Big Bridges creates a more pedestrian-friendly area,” Dean of Campus Life Ric Townes said.
“I am absolutely in love with it,” Maxine Garcia PO ’16 said. “My bike rides up that path now run much more smoothly.”
“I was glad when they closed the street between Harwood and Mudd-Blaisdell in 2011, and was delighted to see that they finally closed Fourth Street and got rid of the unsightly lot next to Big Bridges,” Uriel Guadarrama PO ’15 said. “Creating that additional walkable space makes the college feel more unified and more personal at the same time. It is a very big deal and I’m glad Pomona is making these changes. Three thumbs up.”
Crews also redid walkways around Marston Quad to install underground electric service, which will make it easier to hold events on the quad by eliminating the need for cables crossing the sidewalks.
Townes said that the biggest upcoming project on campus is the renovation of Millikan Laboratory, which will begin over winter break.