Students operating on a spring and fall semester schedule are always surprised to come back to campus slightly different than the year before. Every summer, construction on and around campus skyrockets. Both the city of Tuscaloosa and The University of Alabama prefer to do construction over the summer, when traffic is lighter and the town population is significantly smaller. But with an ever-growing student population, 2016 has been a big year for new buildings and new traffic.

Areas completed over the summer include the new North Lawn Hall, Moody Music Hall additions, and  a repaved and reconstructed University Boulevard.

The new North Lawn Hall on Hackberry Lane is now open for the fall semester.  The new academic building was part of a bigger construction plan that created a completely new wing of campus, with construction completed for Peter Bryce Boulevard and North Campus Way.

Moody Music Hall also added two new band halls that are open for the fall semester. One band hall will seta approximately 280, while the second, smaller hall will seat 80.

University Boulevard has been repaved from the stretch beginning on Fraternity Row to the edge of campus.  In addition, the former two lane stretch of University has been shortened to one, with the right lane being a right turn only. 

The negative effects of the change become apparent around noon everyday, when traffic comes to a standstill on University, with fewer lanes for commuters to take.

Many students commuting to and from campus have become increasingly frustrated with the change in their drive times.

“I think it was a terrible idea,” said Noah Caldwell, a senior majoring in history and economics, who frequently commutes from off-campus. “All it did was cause unnecessary traffic congestion to put in some trees.”

Although Peter Bryce Blvd and North Campus way may be done with construction, more buildings will be constructed on these new roads in the years to come.