Ever since the tragic accident occurred on White Street Nov. 22, there have been several scenarios mentioned as a way to prevent something like this from happening again.
There has been talk of installing stop signs at the crosswalks to allow students and faculty easier access to the other side of campus, but that doesn’t seem logical considering the amount of traffic on White Street. That would just anger drivers and would make the road nearly impassable at rush hour.
There has been talk of putting the much needed stop light at Fifth Avenue and White Street and placing a crosswalk at that corner. That seems like it would be a great idea (just ask any student attempting to turn left onto White Street from the parking garage), but I’m sure there would be fighting between the school and the city about who would pay for it.
The most logical way to make the road safer for students would be to make the entire road, from Fifth Avenue until the end of the parking garage on White Street, a crosswalk. As it is now, waiting in the crosswalk has become a waiting game for students, as the drivers of Danbury seem to have forgotten the laws of the road. Making the whole road a crosswalk and limiting the speed to 15 MPH would be the safest bet.
To those who argue that we should use the “$1 million” overpass to safely cross the road, I ask you to stop talking. Those who say that the students of Western Connecticut State University have no common sense, I ask what world are you living in?
The overpass was a great idea, but upon your first step, the smell of urine and the sight of beer cans overwhelm you. Not to mention, for students looking to go from White Hall to SoHo during their hour break and back to White again, it isn’t logical to expect them to walk all the way down the street, only to go back again.
In the end, it comes down to safety. It doesn’t matter what is done, just so long as something is done. It’s sad that a life was lost, but hopefully it can at least promote change.
- Hobson Lopes
Staff Writer
