Illinois State University and the Town of Normal have launched a campus safety initiative for drivers and pedestrians — and they want public feedback.
The town received a state grant to study ways to reduce the risk of crashes after two fatal pedestrian crashes on campus.
ISU student Danielle Fairchild was struck and killed by a vehicle at College Avenue and Kingsley Street in November 2021. ISU administrator Adam Peck died after he was hit by a cyclist on an e-bike near South University Street in Normal in September 2022.
"We are looking for their voices to tell us where the issues are and then we are going to look at comments and solutions that are available to us in order to enact and make it a safer place for everybody, whether you are walking on foot, driving in a vehicle or riding on a personal transportation device," said Adam McCrary, ISU's director of environmental health and safety, in an interview on WGLT's Sound Ideas.
Ryan Otto, director of engineering and public works with the Town of Normal, said the campaign aims to identify high-risk locations where pedestrians, bicycles and vehicles frequently interact.
"We want to have a better understanding of where those interactions are at," Otto said, adding he's heard many complaints about drivers going too fast around campus.
"We often get the speeding question. Folks and drivers, what I've observed and anecdotally heard stories from folks that are walking through the campus — speeding is a major issue," Otto said.
ISU and Normal have hired the transportation planning firm TY Lin and community engagement design firm All Together to study the feedback and produce long-term recommendations, along with cost estimates.
Otto said the town and university plan to implement some short-term safety measures next fall and get more feedback to consider longer-term plans. He said short-term measures may include plastic bollards and pavement markings to separate parts of the road for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers.
"How do we limit the interactions between the vehicles and the bikes and the pedestrians?" Otto described as the goal of the initiative.
Otto said long-term solutions could include curb extensions, lane reductions on College Avenue and a reconfiguration of the y-shaped intersection where eastbound College and westbound Mulberry Street intersect with North School Street.
"There's really nothing off the table at this point," Otto said.
McCrary said any tougher regulations, such a reduced speed limits, would need buy-in from both the town and university. He said there are no plans to consider restrictions against e-bikes, which are able to go faster than conventional bicycles.
"That's definitely a part of the equation, something we want to look at, but it's not something that's on the table right now that I'm aware of," McCrary said.
There's a link to the survey on the town's website.
