The city of Commerce and Texas A&M University-Commerce have come to an agreement and will begin to install a pedestrian-activated crosswalk system due to several pedestrians being hit by cars at the crosswalks.
Talks concerning the agreement came to the forefront after a car hit two students who were walking across the crosswalk near Whitley last May.
At the last city council meeting in Oct., they finalized the agreement and will start construction at two crosswalks located around the university.
“The current locations we will be enhancing the crosswalks are located on Hwy. 24/50 and on Culver in front of Whitley Hall because they both have high pedestrian traffic,” executive director of facilities and support services David McKenna said.
Commerce and Texas department of Transportation share control of Culver Street because it is a city street and a state highway.
“The ccity of Commerce has always supported our safety efforts there,” McKenna said.
In the next few weeks A&M-Commerce students driving down Hwy 24/50 and Culver St. will see construction workers installing the new cross walk systems.
“The new system will be wireless and uses no power or signal cable, the basic illuminated crosswalk consists of the road markers embedded in the road and is a means to activate the markers,” McKenna said.
A&M-Commerce officials have been very concerned about safety at the crosswalks.
“I am very pleased that the university will be making this important improvement to the pedestrian crosswalks on Highway 50 and Culver Street,” A&M-Commerce President Dan Jones said. “The safety and security of our students are paramount concerns and these warning systems will provide an additional margin of protection for everyone who crosses these roadways.”
In addition to the new crosswalk systems being installed Commerce has been taking other courses of action in order to improve the safety of the students, and will continue doing so.
McKenna mentioned the A&M-Commerce department of risk management held crosswalk-training sessions during last year’s summer orientations.
“Drivers and students have been noticing the rumble strips installed on Culver Street across from Whitley Hall earlier this summer that are intended to warn drivers to slow down and that pedestrians have the right of way in the crosswalk,” McKenna said.
There are still discussions about installing more around the Commerce.
“Our agreement only addressed two crosswalk systems, the University is also working with TXDOT officials about other crosswalks, namely one on Hwy 50,” mayor of Commerce Quay Throgmorton.
The next task on the university’s agenda is a water contract with the city, which could help save money for the university, to be used for other means around campus.