With all the “transition” happening on campus right now, I wonder why the issue of public safety is not being addressed with more concern. I get it. Public safety is boring to talk about until something tragic happens. Then it’s all about the blame game, but let us prevent tragedy (and goofy political finger pointing) before it happens and deal with the problem now. The problem that I am referring to is the unsafe crossing of students on Assembly Street.
It is truly remarkable how much our university has grown these past few years, but there is a cost of public safety for both students and residents of the city of Columbia. In particular, with the construction of the new business building on Assembly Street there is an influx of students having to cross that street. Whether it is because of classes at the new business building, or any of the other facilities along Assembly Street, there are more students this year that cross that particular street. They cross the street in typical student/faculty manner: unsafely. I am used to seeing students and faculty do this on all parts of campus, but Assembly Street is far too dangerous to be pulling the “I’m-A-Student/Professor/Doctor-And-I-Am-Above-Following-The-Rules” routine.
Assembly Street has been reconstructed to be safer for pedestrians, but only if pedestrians and drivers follow both the crosswalk and road light signals. This year, because of parking shortage, I had to purchase a parking permit from the city of Columbia. When I have to cross Assembly to get to class, too often I see students running across the street from both sides, before the crosswalk light says it's safe to do so. Not only do I see students do this, but I also spot professors from colleges and facilities along Assembly Street engaging in the same unsafe behavior (that’s right School of Music, I’m talking about you!). This is dangerous, not just for students and professors, but for the host city of our university. No city of Columbia driver wants to hit a student with his or her car, but students are giving these drivers more of a chance to do so.
Assembly Street was not designed solely for the university even though it crosses a part of our campus. In certain parts of Assembly Street there are dips in the road that make it seem like no cars are coming when one looks out to the road. Students run across the street (with the pedestrian light telling them not to) only for them to realize that cars are coming. Thankfully, the drivers stop in time to let the students pass. I have seen this happen more than once in a single day.
Students need to be lectured on the dangers of failing to heed crosswalk signals, but I understand how dull and boring a safety lecture can be. However, if a five-minute lecture can be used as a cheap, effective, preventative measure, then lets implement it! If not, another option is that we pay City of Columbia Police to act as crossing guards, but we are all adults (legally anyway) and I think that would be kind of embarrassing that we college students need to be chaperoned crossing the street.