NSU officials say Tide station poses risk for students

NORFOLK

Because of their safety concerns for students on campus, Norfolk State University officials forced a $7 million relocation of the light-rail station across Brambleton Avenue, to move it away from the school.

Now that station poses a different kind of safety issue - for students trying to get onto campus.

Students, who ride The Tide for free, often dash across six lanes of Brambleton traffic to get from the rail station to classes, instead of walking an extra block or two to use a controlled crosswalk. They cross in the middle of a busy block, between the Interstate 264 exit ramp and the Park Avenue intersection, which is traveled by nearly 50,000 vehicles a day.

"It's really dangerous," said Regina V.K. Williams, NSU's interim vice president for finance and administration and the city manager when Norfolk agreed to build the station across Brambleton. "We want people using light rail, but we want them to be safe."

Although no one's been hit, there have been a number of near hits, Williams said. Which is why NSU and city officials have made some changes and are contemplating more to keep Tide riders safe.

Hampton Roads Transit statistics show that an average of 332 people use the NSU light-rail station daily. It's the sixth-busiest of The Tide's 11 stations, serving about 7 percent of riders, since the system began operating in August.

"If (the station) stayed where it originally was, it would have solved a lot of problems," said Barclay Winn, Norfolk City Council member and HRT board member. "It cost a lot of money to make it the way they wanted.

"I obviously care about student safety, but this is a very sensitive subject for me."

Since the station was shifted and light rail opened, there have been two new NSU presidents.

"The station is where it is now," Williams said. "That's history gone by the wayside. Students and faculty and staff are using it and love it.

"This administration is very open to the light rail and other modes of transportation coming and going from the campus."

To block the shortcut onto campus, NSU has installed a fence next to Harrison B. Wilson Hall Administration Building across from where students cross. University security forces have been on site handing out fliers and advising students of the dangers of crossing midblock. Warnings also have been posted on the college's website and sent via email.

Before the college broke for winter vacation, security officers handed out 200 fliers to students crossing midblock in less than two days, Williams said.

John Keifer, city public works director, said the crosswalk at Brambleton and Park has been repainted, pedestrian crossing signals have been installed, and signs that warn "No Pedestrian Crossing" and "Use Crosswalk" have been erected.

The city is considering widening the median to install a fence to prevent the dangerous crossing, Keifer said. But that would require widening the road and moving curbs.

Although Keifer and Williams said the measures already taken have reduced the jaywalking significantly, during about 15 minutes at lunchtime one day last week, about half of The Tide passengers crossing Brambleton cut across midblock instead of at the light.

Keith Smith, a sophomore from Virginia Beach who rides The Tide from Newtown Road to NSU, said he doesn't have time to wait at the corner crossing: "It takes forever."

He generally doesn't make it all the way across and waits on the narrow median until it's safe to finish crossing.

"Yeah, if cars don't stop, I can get hit," he said.

Jerrod Burwell, a senior who wound through traffic stopped on Brambleton, said: "I know how to cross a street safely."

Burwell lives on campus and uses The Tide to get to work at MacArthur Center. He said he uses the crosswalk less than half the time.

"As long as I pay attention, I'll be fine," he said.

One worried driver wrote the newspaper to ask whether it will take a "major accident or even a death" before more safety measures are taken.

Williams said NSU has asked the city to explore more options, including construction of an elevated walkway across Brambleton or installing traffic-calming devices to slow drivers.

Keifer said the city has been focused on the short term and has not worked on long-term solutions yet.

Debbie Messina, 757-446-2588, debbie.messina@pilotonline.com