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One 21 year old female victim of intoxicated hit-and-run driver on Michigan Ave near Howard St, and a 22 year old woman shot while drving near Oakland and I94. Just two or three days before start of classes. A very sad day for their families and friends, and entire campus.

(08-30-2022 06:10 PM)AllBronco Wrote:  One 21 year old female victim of intoxicated hit-and-run driver on Michigan Ave near Howard St, and a 22 year old woman shot while drving near Oakland and I94. Just two or three days before start of classes. A very sad day for their families and friends, and entire campus.

Very sad. RIP

That stretch of W Mich near Howard has always been very dangerous for pedestrians. Right next to campus for Christ's sake. Needs much much better pedestrian infrastructure.

Ugh. It seems like we always have a death right when classes are starting. :(

First, and most important -

It is tragic for the young people who died-their families and friends.

Second, this kind of thing can hurt the University.

Don't know what the answer is to stop it though.

Sorry to hear about this. As a parent and grandparent, this is always in the back of my mind. Condolences to the families and Bronco Community. Thoughts and prayers are with you all.

(08-31-2022 02:19 PM)MajorHoople Wrote:  Don't know what the answer is to stop it though.

Adding pedestrian crossings west of Howard and east of Euclid with beg buttons that enable red lights so pedestrians can cross. This has been a problem area near campus for over 20 years due to the large number of students south of W Mich and student focused businesses in the parking lot across the street. The city doesn't want to do this to continue catering to drivers. But it would be a huge help.

Acknowledge that drunk driving is a huge problem around campus and provide more ways for students to get around the area without having to drive. Pay for Ubers. Pay for taxis. They had DriveSober "taxis" when I was around. Pay for more so students aren't waiting 30 min or more for rides at peak hours. This is also a societal issue and not limited to WMU and Kzoo.

(09-01-2022 12:30 PM)Charm City Bronco Wrote:  

(08-31-2022 02:19 PM)MajorHoople Wrote:  Don't know what the answer is to stop it though.

Adding pedestrian crossings west of Howard and east of Euclid with beg buttons that enable red lights so pedestrians can cross. This has been a problem area near campus for over 20 years due to the large number of students south of W Mich and student focused businesses in the parking lot across the street. The city doesn't want to do this to continue catering to drivers. But it would be a huge help.

Acknowledge that drunk driving is a huge problem around campus and provide more ways for students to get around the area without having to drive. Pay for Ubers. Pay for taxis. They had DriveSober "taxis" when I was around. Pay for more so students aren't waiting 30 min or more for rides at peak hours. This is also a societal issue and not limited to WMU and Kzoo.

Well-written, Charm.

(09-01-2022 12:30 PM)Charm City Bronco Wrote:  Adding pedestrian crossings west of Howard and east of Euclid with beg buttons that enable red lights so pedestrians can cross. This has been a problem area near campus for over 20 years due to the large number of students south of W Mich and student focused businesses in the parking lot across the street. The city doesn't want to do this to continue catering to drivers. But it would be a huge help.

This has been a fight for decades now. WMU did some half-assed improvements on campus property when they made the W. Michigan round-a-bout but the city refuses to make improvements on city property.

It's a very long uphill battle to make walkable cities/campuses in "car culture" America. Just gotta keep pushing. More walking, bicycling, and public transport...less individuals driving giant vehicles everywhere.

Would a pedestrian bridge (or tunnel) in that area help?

(09-10-2022 05:14 PM)anthonybronco Wrote:  Would a pedestrian bridge (or tunnel) in that area help?

It would be better to put up well lit crosswalks and beg buttons that flash blinking red lights so drivers know to stop.

(09-01-2022 02:46 PM)ColinApocalypse Wrote:  It's a very long uphill battle to make walkable cities/campuses in "car culture" America. Just gotta keep pushing. More walking, bicycling, and public transport...less individuals driving giant vehicles everywhere.

Amen

(09-10-2022 05:18 PM)Charm City Bronco Wrote:  

(09-10-2022 05:14 PM)anthonybronco Wrote:  Would a pedestrian bridge (or tunnel) in that area help?

It would be better to put up well lit crosswalks and beg buttons that flash blinking red lights so drivers know to stop.

Ann Arbor uses these quite successfully, IMO.

WMU students: We want a stoplight and crosswalk at the intersection of West Michigan and Euclid Ave. outside of the restaurant Two Fellas, an establishment frequented by students and open into the early morning hours

Kzoo City: How about some concrete barriers to prevent "jaywalking?"

Real nice Kzoo. Further catering to drivers: That will certainly solve the drunk driving problem around campus and enhance pedestrian safety.

https://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/202...cerns.html

https://wwmt.com/news/local/bailey-brode...-gansberg#

So the response from the city is: There's only so much we can do. Pedestrians will continue to be mowed down by drivers around campus because we simply don't want to do what it takes: make driving around campus more painful and slower and installing proven methods to increase pedestrian safety. Because heaven forbid it takes drivers 5 more minutes to get to their destinations.

"According to the city’s traffic engineer, although the city has done many positive changes to enhance safety in the West Michigan Avenue area, they’re not observing any significant change in driver behavior.

“Thoughtless and careless drivers continue to ignore the speed and stop signs and place pedestrians, bicyclists, and other drivers in danger. Enforcement always helps. But, the most important step that all drivers can take is to obey the devices we place. Until drivers do so, we will continue to have problems,” said Dennis Randolph, the city’s traffic engineer in an emailed statement."

More photos:

https://wwmt.com/news/local/road-safety-...e-barriers

On this ^^^^ note: Why is W Mich six lanes at Howard? Seems pretty excessive. This intersection needs a road diet now.