Student complaints combine against crosswalks
Drivers’ violations of crosswalks and student misuse of them are an ever-increasing problem at Utah State University, both on and off campus.
The intersection at 700 East and 600 North was the site of one accident in February but no complaints have been issued to the Logan City Police Department since the first of the year. This could be because those complaining think the intersection is in Utah State University Police Department’s jurisdiction.
“[700 East] is a Logan City street,” said Sgt. Shane Sessions. “We can help Logan police if there is a problem, but it’s not in our jurisdiction.”
Kendra Miller, a junior majoring in physics, said she has found it incredibly difficult to cross 700 East because cars are speeding down the hill and come around the curve too quickly to stop for pedestrians.
“The speed limit is only 25 miles an hour,” she said.
Crosswalk use, as well as driving more slowly, could use some improvement. Students struggle with crosswalk laws quite often at USU.
“As far as I know, most of us were taught at a young age to look both ways before crossing the street,” Sessions said.
In addition to looking both ways, students need to look before entering the painted area, he said. If it looks like a car doesn’t have time to stop, do not enter the crosswalk. After a student is in the walk, cars in the lane they are passing in front of them need to stop.
“The vehicle has the right of way on the roadway,” he added.
Sessions said when bicycles are on the road they are considered cars and when they are on the sidewalk, pedestrians. In each case they need to follow the appropriate rules.
“On the road [bicycles] yield to pedestrians and on the crosswalk they should yield to vehicles,” Sessions said.
He added that in most accidents involving bicycles and vehicles, a considerable percentage of the time the fault is with the cyclist.
There are three highly dangerous intersections near campus, and there have already been two documented accidents involving crosswalks.
“The second dealing with a bicycle and a vehicle,” Sessions said.
Those three intersections include the crosswalks between the Taggart Student Center and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ Institute, the HPER Building and parking terrace and the HPER and the Veterinary Science Buildings.
That intersection at 700 East and 600 North has little history of being problematic, LCPD Officer Craig Johnson said. It is important to note that before the crosswalk at that intersection there are no neon-yellow pedestrian signs as there are by many others in Logan.
“I don’t know if it’s painted very well either,” he said.
Johnson did say that speeding on that street has always been a problem, especially when it was open to 400 North.
Changing right-of-ways has helped to ease the traffic problem in the past, but Miller thinks an entirely new right-of-way will speed up pedestrians after the $30 million parking terrace and housing facility project is built near the old heating plant on 700 East.
“We are very aware of the problems for pedestrians,” said John Fitch, project coordinator for facilities design and construction.
They are only in the very beginning stages, Fitch said, currently selecting a design team to work.
A student living center and covered parking facility is estimated to be completed by June 2006 said Stanley Kane, director of facilities and design construction. He noted that pedestrian flow up 600 North and around that part of campus is a serious consideration while they continue to finalize plans and begin construction.
“Nothing concrete has been decided,” Kane said.
Until then, it’s up to residents, Johnson said, to call the city and let them know their concerns about crosswalk improvement.
-ireneh@cc.usu.edu