With concerns for pedestrian safety brought to the attention of the Longwood University Police Department (LUPD), LUPD has worked with Facilities Management to add additional crosswalks to keep students and staff safe, according to LUPD Col. Bob Beach.
“In the last say three years I have probably gotten 40-50 complaints outside of my officers, who are always concerned and complaining about it, too, but the last one was actually (an) employee of the university who was coming down West Third Street and a student was crossing going down to the (High Bridge) lofts and really was doing the phone thing and stepped out and started to cross and she almost hit him,” said Beach.
A pedestrian’s right-of-way begins once they enter the crosswalk after taking note of incoming traffic, Beach stated.
“I see a half dozen (pedestrians not utilizing the cross walk) a day, but we are moving in that direction, and I can tell you that it is only going to get more intense as the congestion becomes more of an issue for us,” said Beach. “Just because there is a cross walk and just because there is a light does not mean that you get to just step right out into the traffic and cause people to have to slam on the brakes.”
In addition to the crosswalks, Facilities Management has installed black chains to funnel pedestrians to the crosswalks rather than stepping out into the street too early, according to Beach.
Beach emphasized skateboarders and longboarders cannot ride the boards in streets and crosswalks as it is a law.
In addition to the intersection at West Third Street, LUPD sees incidents with pedestrians occurring on High Street, Main Street and Griffin Boulevard, according to Beach.
When LUPD sees a pedestrian not utilizing the cross walk, crossing a road distracted from typically a cell phone, LUPD stops them and warns them, Beach stated.
“If we find that they are a frequent flyer and keep on abusing it, there is nothing that prevents us (from) bringing them up on judicial charges, on charges internal to the campus by not following direction,” said Beach.
With the addition of the High Bridge Lofts, owned by Walk2Campus, opening in Aug. 2017, the pedestrian traffic has increased crossing West Third Street, according to Beach.
“Pedestrian safety is also a great concern of ours,” said Michelle Donnelly, property manager of Walk2Campus.
On Tuesday, Oct. 24 a new traffic light in front of the High Bridge Lofts was installed.
“We informed all of our new residents at High Bridge Lofts that there would be a traffic light and crosswalks installed as soon as the power company and town were able to get them in, so the number of folks expressing concern has been minimal,” said Donnelly.
Conrad Brinkman, a junior communication studies major and current resident of the High Bridge Lofts, stated the addition of the traffic light will help crossing West Third Street.
“It’s difficult crossing the street for my 8 a.m.s and when I come back around lunch time,” said Brinkman.
“Before (the traffic light was installed) with just the crosswalk, no one would stop and let people walk, which was dangerous and frustrating for students,” said Megan Ginty, a junior liberal studies major who also is a resident of the High Bridge Lofts.
According to Beach, LUPD has worked with the Farmville Police Department for the past two years developing a plan to combat pedestrian safety.
“We have been talking about pedestrian safety for about a year and a half, and laying out a plan to address those areas where pedestrian safety becomes a factor, and establishing those secure crosswalks by putting lights up and marking the crosswalks,” said Beach.
The safety of a person is reliant among themselves mostly in addition to law enforcement, according to Beach.
“There is an issue of respect involved in this too, respecting the other people that are out using the roads and using the resources of the campus,” said Beach.
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The four-way intersection on Main Street next to campus has a lot of traffic throughout the day along with pedestrian crossing for students.
New stoplights were put in at the intersection outside of Third Street Brewing Company and the Valero gas station.
New stoplights were put in at the intersection outside of Third Street Brewing Company and the Valero gas station.