Huskie buses are being moved back to the turnaround on the west side of the Holmes Student Center due to pedestrian safety concerns after “a few near-misses.”

The bus turnaround was moved to a strip east of the Holmes Student Center on Normal Road in the summer. Brett Williams, Student Association Mass Transit director, said the move was made to get students out of the wind tunnel at the west turnaround and to beautify the campus. But, the SA has received complaints saying the buses block pedestrians’ view of oncoming cars when trying to cross at the east turnaround on Normal Road.

Most buses will use the west turnaround starting Sept. 29.

“The revisions are the result of student input on the routes which began in August,” according to a Monday news release from the SA. “Students felt the new routes were inaccessible and inconvenient to their needs.”

The only Huskie buses that will continue to use the east turnaround are the Nos. 6 and 7. Buses carrying visitors from other schools will also use the turnaround.

Jahneela Jennings, junior family, consumer and nutrition sciences major, said she has nearly been hit by a car “at least four times” when trying to cross Normal Road. Williams said his office received “a lot of complaints” about safety, which helped the SA see the turnaround’s “problems outweighed [the] benefits.”

“From what we can tell, there were a few near-misses,” Williams said. “But, no, as far as I know, nobody actually got injured … and we’d like to keep it that way.”

Bill Nicklas, vice president of Operations and Community Relations, said NIU is also trying to work with DeKalb to close Normal Road to traffic except for emergency and service vehicles and buses.

Other changes

The 2L and 2R buses will stop outside the Computer Science/Psychology Building starting Sept. 29. Williams said students have suggested adding a bus stop there.

Campus Editor Jackie Nevarez contributed to this article.