<p>I have not had the opportunity to visit NU yet but will make the trip if I get accepted. I have been looking at a lot of video and interviews with students on the NU campus. One thing I cannot overlook is that there always seems to be this busy street with lots of traffic and noise in the background. I have read that I believe Sheridon Road crosses the campus and it is a pretty major traffic way.</p>
<p>Is Sheridon the source of most all the cars/traffic or are there other streets too? When you are walking from the dorms to class or meals do you generally find yourself walking on the sidewalk next to a busy street? I know the one side of campus is next to the lake but where is all of this traffic coming from? It seems like it may be more urban than I was led to believe and I wonder how much is the traffic a problem or safety concern for walking around campus?</p>
<p>Sheridan is a busy road, yes, but it's definitely not anything to be concerned about. I would say that it gets the most busy around rush hours on weekdays, but then again, what road doesn't? You usually find yourself walking down Sheridan to get to classes, but that's because it's usually the most direct route. Also, I wouldn't say that NU is really urban. Evanston is pretty much the epitome of suburb. A big suburb, yes, but a suburb none the less. Point being: there's nothing to really be worried about. : )</p>
<p>You wouldn't need to cross it frequently. None of my classes was located west of Sheridan. As ohhhradio said, many student walk down (but don't cross) Sheridan to get to classes because it's usually the most direct route. The sidewalk on the east side of Sheridan is very wide.</p>
<p>Yes, it's a major road, but it basically just bisects the very beautiful campus into two parts. At the most, you'll have to cross the road twice a day. Once you're on one side or the other, there's virtually no traffic at all.</p>
<p>"When you are walking from the dorms to class or meals do you generally find yourself walking on the sidewalk next to a busy street? I know the one side of campus is next to the lake but where is all of this traffic coming from? It seems like it may be more urban than I was led to believe and I wonder how much is the traffic a problem or safety concern for walking around campus?"</p>
<p>Sheridan Road is a major road that traverses Chicago's North Shore for miles (and essentially turns into Lake Shore Drive towards the south). So "where the traffic comes from" - just normal sources of traffic, commuters, people running errands, whatever.</p>
<p>Yes, Sheridan Road bisects the campus, but what is on both sides are simply houses and university buildings - not retail, fast food, car dealerships, whatever. In other words, most people in cars are just driving on by and not interacting with / turning into the campus. (It's NOT like a busy urban street where you'd be dodging drivers who are turning into the drive-through or whatever.) </p>
<p>As for walking alongside Sheridan - sure, you'll be walking on the sidewalk next to a busy street, but it doesn't pose any issues or problems. </p>
<p>As for crossing it - yes, you will have to cross it to get to class if you live in Allison, Shepard, Willard, Foster Walker or the sorority quad - but you do so at an intersection with a light and it's no big deal at all. As long as you don't do something stupid like run out into the road without looking, it's totally fine.</p>
<p>As Pizzagirl stated, most university buildings and classrooms are east of Sheridan Rd bordering Lake Michigan. You don't have to worry about busy commuter traffic. If students must cross Sheridan, they do so four intersections with traffic lights: the Arch, Foster, Tech, and Lincoln.</p>
<p>Residential housing and greek dormitories and some organizations and research institutes are located west of Sheridan Rd.</p>