Kalamazoo Times

Students at Western Michigan University concerned about pedestrian safety in neighborhoods near the west side of campus may breathe a little easier, thanks to collaboration between the City of Kalamazoo and the University.

Crews from the City of Kalamazoo Department of Public Services have installed temporary concrete barrier walls in an area near campus just west of the intersection of Howard St. and West Michigan Avenue. The barriers are part of a campaign between the City of Kalamazoo, student groups, and University administration officials to address safety concerns in the Fraternity Village Drive area – an initiative brought by WMU students.

“We stand with our students and have been working diligently to meet their needs for a safer, off-campus pedestrian community,” said Cheng Kidd Sun, student body president, Western Student Association. “These barriers are the first step to our long-term solutions of prioritizing the safety of our students as we continue working on a safer off-campus environment with continued motivation.”

The temporary concrete barriers are intended to halt jaywalking, prevent restricted left turns, and calm traffic by narrowing the traffic lanes. The City of Kalamazoo’s approach to improving pedestrian safety is multi-pronged and involves several initiatives with WMU on future and long-term plans to improve pedestrian and motor vehicle safety around the campus.

“We share our students’ concerns regarding pedestrian safety and have worked with them to discuss solutions with city leadership,” said Lisa R. Garcia, assistant vice president for community partnerships,

Western Michigan University. “We also appreciate the city’s willingness to work with the University and our students in addressing recommendations. We will continue to work together to find the best ways to move forward and ensure the safety of our students and our community.”

Additional steps the City of Kalamazoo are implementing or under consideration in the neighborhoods west of campus include the following:

• Installing speed humps and increased street lighting on Lafayette, Euclid, Greenwood, Fraternity Village Drive.
• Installing radar signs on Fraternity Village Drive in 2023.
• Brush cleared along the side of Fraternity Village Drive to improve sight lines.
• Sidewalk modifications and ADA (Americans with Disability Act) improvements eventually constructed, and crosswalks installed on Fraternity Village Drive.
• Fraternity Village Drive restriped, and the addition of enhanced and oversized pedestrian signs.

The City of Kalamazoo notes that drinking and driving play a major role in many serious crashes. Drivers who are under the influence of drugs or alcohol have less regard for traffic laws, traffic control devices, and the safety of others. The City of Kalamazoo strongly encourages everyone to avoid such behavior, obey all posted speed limits, and follow traffic and pedestrian ordinances.

Original source can be found here.