The Chart Online

Collision proves need for crosswalk safety
Allison Rosewicz

Editor-in-Chief

Crosswalk construction will soon be underway. And it couldn t come at a better time.

Another accident occurred at a crosswalk on Missouri Southern s campus Oct. 7

Shoji Noro, senior technology major, traveling south on Duquesne Road, stopped at the crosswalk in front of Hughes Stadium because he noticed other cars were stopping.

Next thing I realize, I was hit, so I crashed into a pole, Noro said.

Driving a tractor-trailer, Mark Byler of Beaver Lake Transport Concrete, rear ended Noro.

Byler said he did not see anyone crossing and could not stop, so he veered between Noro and another car to prevent himself from directly hitting Noro s vehicle. The car was totaled. Noro said he and Byler discussed the fact that if the street had signal lights, the accident never would have happened.

Noro also appreciated the help he received from witnesses. He said the College, however, was not so helpful. When he asked a secretary, Noro was denied the opportunity to make an emergency call.

Although no one was hurt in the collision, witnesses said this is another example of the dangers of Southern s crosswalks.

Floyd Cook, junior computer information science major, was in a northbound lane when the collision occurred. He said it looked as though the tractor-trailer driver was traveling too fast.

It s a case that he just wasn t paying attention, Cook said.

He said when he came back to the College later that day at 3 p.m., he himself had a frightening encounter on the same crosswalk when a northbound car almost hit him.

It s kind or ironic that I witnessed almost the same thing earlier in the day, he said. This car comes zooming up and almost hits me.

Dr. Terri Agee, vice president for business affairs, said cars often speed through the crosswalk areas and do not stop or look. She said students do not always look before crossing, either.

You combine the two, and it s a disaster waiting to happen, Agee said.

Southern soon hopes to prevent accidents like this from happening again.

We re committed to this, Agee said. We want to go forward. We feel like safety is the No. 1, top priority.

The College recently awarded the crosswalk project bid to Snyder Bridge Co. of Joplin. Snyder was the lowest bidder at $382,788. The next lowest bidder was Sprouse Construction of Lamar at $397,614. Tri-State Engineering will be handling the engineering aspects.

The bid covers roadway improvements, signal labor and a pedestrian barrier on Duquesne Road.

Southern budgeted $250,000 for the crosswalk construction. A large portion of the remaining costs will be paid for with funds from another project that has been delayed until the next fiscal year. Bob Harrington, physical plant director, wanted to repave two parking lots, but he said that project can wait.

With school in session now, I can t get it done until next summer anyway, so what we ll do is put it out to bid after July 1 [2003] for the next fiscal year, he said. We can put some of those funds into this project.

The city is paying for the equipment on Duquesne. Any other funds needed will have to be borrowed and paid off during the next fiscal year.

The College is still in the process of asking the Missouri Department of Transportation for assistance. MoDOT has already approved the drawing plans. The department will also be inspecting construction and striping the roads.

A preconstruction meeting will take place Monday to determine the exact project schedule. The tentative plan is to perform road work throughout October and into November; start signal construction in November and continue into December; and have everything in full operation before the beginning of the spring semester.

We re on a really tight time line, Agee said. We re anxious to get the project going.

The contract states that from the time the project is started, construction must be substantially complete in 100 days and totally complete in 120 days.

Because Newman Road has more traffic, the signal at the crosswalk there will have what is known as a dedicated phase - the traffic lights will be red in all four directions when pedestrians are crossing.

The crosswalk on Duquesne will not have the dedicated phase, but it will have a pedestrian barrier to protect people crossing the road.

We didn t see the necessity to make Duquesne a dedicated phase because it doesn t have as much traffic, said John Bolte, executive vice president of Tri-State Engineering and the project engineer.

During the construction, a couple of detours will take place. Later this month, the street entrance to Taylor Auditorium will be closed. Around the middle of November, students will have to use the tunnel for a week to two weeks while Newman Road is widened.

The Homecoming parade will also be rerouted. Because the entrance in front of Taylor Auditorium will be closed, the parade cannot turn left onto Duquesne Road. Instead, it will turn by Taylor Hall between Lot 14 and travel to Lot 18 on the south side of Hughes Stadium.

Anyone using the crosswalks will have to push a pedestrian button to cross and wait until no traffic is proceeding. Harrington said students and drivers must be responsible.

I do have a concern that the students won t wait for the pedestrian signal, he said. They have a tendency to get impatient. My concern is, once we have the signals up, the drivers are going to feel more secure they have the right-of-way, and if a student steps out in front of them, it might be a little more dangerous.

Phyllis Lewis, junior sociology major, shares Harrington s concern.

A lot of students want to go to class and won t wait, so someone could still get hit, she said. It s never going to be safe because they are busy streets, and it s always going to be dangerous.

She said a better alternative would be for students to take a little extra time and use the tunnel.

Agee, however, said the new signals will make the crosswalks much safer because cars will have to stop, the crosswalks will be more visible, and traffic congestion will be eased in both intersections.

Everyone s going to notice a change, Bolte said. It s going to be a great improvement.