No one likes the idea of being hit by a car.

For nearly two weeks, that fear has drifted further back in the minds of NIU students. New stoplights and pedestrian signals installed at the intersection of Annie Glidden Road and Stadium Drive are helping to make trips to class safer.

Evelyn Chiquito, a sophomore political science major, said she enjoys not having to time her steps and run across the street like she used to.

“It’s a lot easier to cross,” Chiquito said.

The $50,000 lights came after the Annie Glidden Task Force recommended them as a safety measure for pedestrian safety.

“The primary purpose was to provide a second location for students to cross Annie Glidden safely,” said Ralph Tompkins, director of public works for DeKalb.

The extra traffic lights also restrict motorists from gaining too much speed on Annie Glidden Road, Tompkins added.

Another difference in traffic is that motorists no longer can make left turns onto Stadium Drive.

Tompkins said that’s because there is no left-turn lane to cause backups.

Bob Albanese, NIU’s associate vice president of finance and facilities, said he hasn’t heard any gripes about the lights yet. Everyone has to adjust a little, but it’s worth it for students’ safety.

Nick Wightkin, a senior computer science major, said he doesn’t mind the fact that he sometimes needs to stop his car at the light.

“It’s just another light,” Wightkin said. “Since I walk across the street I appreciate that it’s there.”

The stoplight is only the first step in improving pedestrian safety, Albanese said.

In the future, a countdown timer could be added to the walk signals so pedestrians know how much time they have to cross the street. He also hopes to put up additional streetlights on Annie Glidden from Lincoln Highway to Hillcrest Drive; and he would like to see lights embedded into the crosswalks to illuminate them while students cross at night.

Albanese understands that all the improvements will be costly, but he hopes to accomplish them one at a time.

Until then, students have a new and safer crosswalk, but Tompkins reminds students that they are the key to making it a safer crossing.

“It makes it safer for students … but they have to pay attention to the walk and don’t walk signal,” Tompkins said. “People tend to ignore the don’t walks.”