Colleagues:

        In keeping with Dr. Shumaker's call for increased vigilance
regarding campus safety issues, I am concerned with the safety of
pedestrians on 5th street near the UC construction area.  With all foot
traffic routed to the north side of the street there will be considerable
back and forth use of the crosswalks at either end of the construction.
This summer, with light vehicle and foot traffic, it was at times risky to
walk past the construction.  Cars and trucks simply go too fast on 5th
street, and the vast majority of drivers don't seem to think about
pedestrians. The situation will probably not get any better with the
increased vehicle and foot traffic that begins Monday. I don't know what
could be done to warn drivers to watch out for pedestrians, but I'm sure
there must be better options than the signs that are there now.  For
instance - better/bigger signs, painting larger warning "stripes" on the
road, installation of speed bumps or humps before and after the crosswalks,
"No Parking" along the north side of 5th street across from the
construction fence (between the two crosswalks), increased presence of
police to ENFORCE speed and right of way laws.  There are lots of options,
I just hope that we will elect to be proactive, rather than reactive.
Student, faculty, and staff lives and well being are potentially in
jeopardy.

                                Take care,

                                Henry Spratt

______________________________________________________________________________

Henry G. Spratt, Jr., Ph.D.
Professor
Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
615 McCallie Ave.
Chattanooga, TN 37403

Ph:     (423)425-4383
Fax:    (423)425-2285
e-mail: [log in to unmask]
http://www.utc.edu/~hspratt/