Eckerd installs new speed bumps

Students returning from winter break found the geography of Avenue of States underwent a change. Nine new speed bumps were installed at the crosswalks along the campus's main road and between the Delta and Omega complexes.

The new speed bumps are intended to address safety concerns raised by a collaboration of the parking committee, facilities and the executive staff, which includes President Donald Eastman, vice presidents and divisional heads.

"For some time, there has been concern on the part of the college…for the safety of those students who regularly use the stretch of Avenue of States between Sigma and the main cafeteria as a pedestrian thoroughfare," James Annarelli, dean of students, said. "[Far] too many drivers on campus would reach speeds along this stretch that were unsafe given the presence of pedestrians."

Speed bumps were chosen as the most effective speed deterrent after ruling out other options. According to Director of Campus Safety Adam Colby, lowering the speed limit was dismissed because "no one pays attention to it, and there is no way to enforce the change." A new sidewalk along the east side of Avenue of States was nixed when considering the cost of having to move the light poles to install the walkway.

Facilities chose the style of bumps, electing to install the model previously in front of the GO Pavilion. The new bumps are about two inches high and one foot wide, compared to the old speed bumps that stand at 3 inches tall and three feet wide. Total cost for the project was around $3,000, with the per-location figure for each speed bump between $400-500.

To address all types of traffic including skateboards, bicycles, wheelchairs, golf carts, pedestrians and cars, the speed bumps are cut short to allow bicycles, scooters and skateboards to pass on the right. Some students, however, have voiced that they find the gaps are too short.

A recent addition this year was the sidewalk put in next to Franklin Templeton. Running from the academic side of campus to the mailboxes and down to the main cafeteria, Annarelli said this walkway is meant to "discourage students from using Avenue of States as a walkway, particularly at dusk."

The speed bumps have elicited strong reactions from students who are concerned about the damage the new bumps could inflict on their cars. Facilities planted shrubs around certain bumps after students began taking elaborate measures to avoid them, choosing to drive over the grass on the side of the road around the bumps.

Senior Rachel Kobernick organized a Facebook group promoting her petition, "Eckerd College for the removal of new speed bumps." The petition cites concerns over the spacing of the bumps, potential reduced response time from emergency vehicles, "destruction of school property" as students drive around the bumps and difficulty of skateboarders and bicyclists going over the bumps. Her alternative is a sidewalk along the east side of Avenue of States.

"I'm not adverse to campus safety enforcing speed restrictions," Kobernic said. "I know they're needed, especially around Omega. I was almost hit multiple times there [while I was] on a bike, walking, in a car, but I don't think [the bumps] targeted the problem areas on campus."

Though her petition calls for the removal of the new bumps, she says that if the bumps were to stay, she prefers that a wider, less damaging bump be installed instead. Kobernic would like to see a speed bump directly in front of Omega and one by the stop sign between Gamma and Delta.

Colby cites a decrease in the amount of passing along Avenue of States and a reduction of speed to 25 miles per hour as improvements the school has seen since the installation.

"This really goes back to that Respect campaign that we're trying to do," Colby said. "If people were more respectful of the safety of others instead of more concerned about how fast they can get to their dorm, or how fast I can get here, and slow down, there really wouldn't be much of a problem."