Several months into the Commonwealth Avenue Beautification project, construction is no longer just an inconvenience for the thousands of students who walk these sidewalks — it is becoming a safety risk.

McCourt Construction has generally done a good job marking pedestrian detours and placing barricades between pedestrians and traffic. But as the work wears on, students are often forced to walk unprotected in the street to avoid gaping holes and parked construction rigs.

We understand that two years from now, construction will have made the street an enjoyable and friendly place for pedestrians, but it shouldn’t be at the expense of safety right now.

BU Spokesman Colin Riley told The Daily Free Press in September, “our main priority is safety for the students,” but this doesn’t seem to be the case. Pedestrian safety is sometimes being ignored as bulldozers and gaping holes block key walking paths.

Public transportation has also been disrupted, forcing students at many BU Shuttle or 57 Bus stops to wait in the street, dangerously close to oncoming traffic.

And while the university did launch a website explaining the construction process and providing updates, it must go further to help students navigate the now treacherous campus.

We understand BU is not involved in actual construction — The Massachusetts Highway Department is leading the project — but administrators must make it clear to developers that Commonwealth Avenue is a unique place.

It is not just a residential or commercial zone with light foot-traffic. The BU campus is a place where thousands of students live, work and attend classes.

So accommodations beyond roping off sidewalks and sending students into the street should be made to keep them from getting hurt while construction continues.

Right now the Commonwealth Avenue beautification process is just an inconvenience. But when winter settles in and the roads become icy, detours will need to be more clearly marked to ensure student safety.

The key to this project has always been to treat pedestrian traffic as if it were just as important as road traffic.

And even if it means a little more gridlock on Commonwealth Avenue, it still beats the alternative — a seriously injured student.