A new roundabout under construction at Troy University has been causing issues for many students as they have to find alternate ways around the campus.

The traffic light at the intersection of University Avenue and Veterans Memorial Drive began in July and is expected to be completed in October, but the construction has blocked one of the main gateways of the campus.

“Because of the construction, almost every student has to enter through one end of the campus and leave from the same end of the campus,” said Bryant Evans, a senior interdisciplinary major at Troy. “Getting out of parking lots is a nightmare when there is a line of about 50 cars that never ends.”

“The light really wasn’t that bad to begin with, and I’m dreading when traffic gets really crazy once football season comes around,” said Emily Banks, a senior marketing student. “The construction’s right next to the Vet and it’s going to make getting to and from the stadium overly complicated.”

“I feel as if they definitely picked the wrong time to start it,” said Samantha Williams, a junior social work major. “Imagine game day traffic and it seems to be way more students on campus this fall. I think it’s causing way more problems now, besides people barely know how to use the other roundabouts.”

Herb Reeves, dean of student services, said the university is aware of the inconvenience the roundabout construction is causing as students return to campus and asked for everyone to bear with the university as the construction nears completion in October.

“This was actually supposed to start in the spring,” Reeves said. “But AT&T had a telephone line there that they had to move before we could start and they kept pushing that back and delaying it so we didn’t get started until July. If everything continues as planned we’ll be finished with it by mid-October or even earlier.”

Reeves said the hope is that the roundabout will actually improve traffic flow once it is completed, with a parking lot being added off the roundabout next to the new recreation and fitness center.

“I’m just really glad something different is happening there,” said Autumn Baggett-Griggs, a Troy University alumna. “I could never turn left from University Avenue to the road by the baseball field because of that dedicated right turn lane coming the other way.”