In the past few months, there has been an increasing amount of road construction and traffic rerouting on South Street. Students, faculty and staff have been left wondering what the purpose of the projects are and when the construction will be complete.Waltham Transportation Director Frank Ching said the bridge past the train tracks has been under construction for a few years. But, he said, "it is a Mass Highway job and not a city of Waltham job. We are told the contractor has been off and on the job because he has other jobs with the state that have higher priority."

Ching said the bridge had been deteriorating, and the state decided to widen the road, strengthen the bridge and provide pedestrian walkways.

He also discussed the construction around the new elementary school on South Street. "We are building approachways and driveways to the new school," he said. "There have to be sidewalks and crosswalks for kids to cross to school." He added that the construction should be completed in December, because the school is scheduled to open in January.

Captain William Stanton of the Waltham Police Department said the construction near the new school "has slowed up traffic and we have fielded some complaints about it." He added, however, "I haven't seen a significant increase in either traffic or moving violations down there."

Director of Public Safety Ed Callahan said Brandeis does not keep statistical information about the number of accidents on South Street, since it does not impact the operation of the University.

Another area of traffic concern on South Street is the crosswalk across from the Foster Apartments. Ching said the area is "too low traffic for a stop sign." Callahan said, 'the University has installed new lighting by the Lindsey Center" due to safety concerns.

Ching said new road construction projects are almost always in the works. There are plans to install new traffic signals at the intersection of Highland Street and South Street near the Waltham Hospital, he said. Eventually, a full traffic signal will be placed near the school to protect children crossing the street.

When road construction by the school and hospital is done, Ching added, there will be a complete repaving of South Street from Highland Street to Turner Street.