Campus Connection

The UW-La Crosse Police Department received a more than $6,000 grant to improve pedestrian and bicycle safety at intersections throughout campus. The grant was written in conjunction with the La Crosse Police Department, which also received funds for pedestrian and bike safety in the city. The Department of Transportation Bureau of Traffic Safety grant will allow extra enforcement and evaluation of intersections that the departments have identified as areas of concern from accident data, citizen complaints and officer observations. The grant is a direct result of accidents involving injury and even death at these intersections. [caption id="attachment_39986" align="alignright" width="240"] UW-L Interim Police Chief Scott McCullough[/caption] “We’ve seen car, bicycle and pedestrian accidents — too many in my opinion,” says UW-L Interim Police Chief Scott McCullough. “We have so many people living in a small area. People need to be more aware of what they are doing whether driving, walking or biking.” The funds will increase officer presence at the intersections up to four days each month April-September, starting April 16 on campus. Although the intersections may change, seven have been identified for stepped up enforcement at UW-L including:

• La Crosse Street, near Oakland Street, by Coate Hall – where former UW-L student Jing Gu was killed in September 2012
• Campbell Road and State Street
• East Avenue and Pine Street
• 16th and State streets
• Farwell Street and East Avenue
• Farwell and 17th streets
• East Avenue and La Crosse Street

In addition, about 15 intersections in the city will step up officer presence including intersections with heavy student traffic such as West Avenue and Pine Street. In addition to writing tickets and warnings for people who violate traffic rules at these intersections, university and city police will be evaluating the environment to analyze traffic flow, make sure signs are clearly visible and trees, shrubs or other physical objects are not blocking driver vision. When the enforcement period is completed, the police departments will have statistics to help them better understand the pedestrian and bicycle safety issues. McCullough hopes the studies result in improvements for a safer campus and La Crosse. Officers with both departments will also receive pedestrian and bicycle safety training in Madison so they can learn enforcement techniques and give safety presentations when they return. Through separate funding, the university is paying to place a rectangular flashing beacon, similar to flashing crosswalk signs at Viterbo University and Gundersen Health System, at the crosswalk on State Street near Campbell Road in summer 2015. The university requested the $15,000 flashing beacon after accidents occurred at the intersection each of the past three years.