Bad weather forced East Tennessee State University administrators to cancel night classes Thursday, the first day of the new semester, but students there for the day class load noticed bright yellow flashing signs at crosswalks installed as an effort to improve pedestrian safety on the 15,000-student campus.
Shawn Benson, director of campus planning at ETSU, said work crews recently installed 20 flashing pedestrian crossing signs at the busier crosswalks around campus.
These signs have LED lights that flash and are powered with solar panels attached to the tops.
“The intent is to attract the attention of an approaching motorist,” Benson said. “We tried to locate them at the highest traffic areas of campus. Like I said, the intent is to augment pedestrian safety but to do it in a way that uses only sustainable energy sources and to do it in a way that sort of adds aesthetic appeal to the campus.”
Installation of the new signs began a couple weeks ago and wrapped up this past week. The signs cost about $1,500 apiece.
“We’re hoping to obtain some funding to put in about 20 more, you know, to try and double the number that are out there,” Benson said. “And eventually, like I say, we’d like to have them installed at every location on campus where appropriate.”
Marcus Thompson, a graduate student studying sports management, thought ETSU’s efforts to improve pedestrian safety were a good thing because there were numerous incidents where students were hit by cars this past school year.
“I don’t want to be the person who gets hit by a car and then have to leave for the semester,” he said of why it was important to install signs and other pedestrian safety measures. “That would mess up my plans of graduating when I wanted to graduate.”
Shelby Stamets, also a graduate student studying sport management, thought ETSU was making strides in the area of pedestrian safety.
“As a driver, I’m more aware of pedestrians, so something’s working there,” she said. “And making it more user-friendly for pedestrians is going to encourage people to walk around more, bike more, instead of driving. I feel like this is a big commuter campus, so it is important, because we have a lot of traffic around here. So, definitely, I’m glad ETSU is making some effort.”
foistertime writes:
January 18, 2013
9:47 AM
They are distracting.
gracie writes:
January 18, 2013
10:52 AM
Now tell the students to cross where marked and Not to Dart out from between parked cars...they usually pay no attention when they fail to cross at the designated area.
Djackson writes:
January 18, 2013
11:01 AM
I think that there is a policy to restrict talking on phones while driving on campus.....it has become lax.
An outlandish , but needed policy.......stop people from talking on cell phones and crossing streets on campus............they look so suprised when you run up on them in the middle of the street. They don't know where they are at because of that important conversation on the other end.
Tiredoftaxandspend writes:
January 18, 2013
11:11 AM
Dang...that was $30,000 that could have been spent on football....stop the wasteful spending....(insert sarcasm sign here).
dallasman writes:
January 18, 2013
12:58 PM
I think this was a total waste of money. I agree with Djackson, if people would not talk or text on their cellphones while they were walking across campus you would not need " big flashing yellow lights ". $ 30,000 now and another $ 30,000 down the road. You have got to be kidding. Pay attention and look where you are going instead of talking and texting.
lunarity writes:
January 18, 2013
1:45 PM
it'd be absolutely great if they prevented through traffic. i'm getting really sick of being almost hit by 40-60 yearold drivers that want to get somewhere quick and decide to cut through ETSU. if you don't work there, have relations with a student there, or are a student yourself then you have absolutely no business on the campus or on those roads.
Djackson writes:
January 18, 2013
3:30 PM
Lunarity you are exactly right......I love that they cut traffic there in the center of campus......It should be like the VA.
Another note.......ETSU made it decades without signs and its not like we hear of people being hit frequently. But what has changed........Society is connected to the cyber world and we can't operate in reality. Yay Progress.
jcresident writes:
January 18, 2013
3:46 PM
I also agree that it is a complete waste of money. 1,500 each for a sign is incredibly dumb, does not improve safety, does not improve education.
plodder writes:
January 18, 2013
4:16 PM
lunarity, there happens to be a through city street through campus. If students would be responsible and pay attention while entering a cross walk there would not be as many near mishaps. If students would use the cross walks and not j walk there would be fewer issues. I still see students j walking on State of Franklin by the Carnegie, but we motorist are to be on guard for your irresponsibility.
Flip writes:
January 18, 2013
5:42 PM
I too am very concerned about the increased spending that I have noticed at ETSU in the last year. I am afraid that the current administration is tapping into the school's reserves. This is not a good idea in an uncertain economy.
provided.