Pedestrian safety study conducted in aftermath of two student deaths last semester
300 block of West Main Street, where VCU student Shawn Soares was struck by a car. Photo by Arrick Wilson.
Selna Shi, News Editor
VCU and the city of Richmond released a pedestrian safety study that targets to improve traffic safety on Monroe Park and MCV campus, according to VCU News. VCU President Michael Rao called for the safety study to be done after two students were killed by cars last semester, VCU News stated.
VCU student Mahrokh Khan died on the morning of Jan. 27 after being hit by a car while crossing Laurel and West Main street. The driver who hit and killed Khan was charged with involuntary manslaughter last week, according to WRIC.
VCU graduate student Shawn Saores was killed by a car four months after Khan’s death along the 300 block of West Main Street.
The university contracted independent engineering and design consultant, Kimley-Horn, to conduct the study.
Recommendations to improve pedestrian and traffic safety include: the implementation of “no turn on red” signs, speed feedback signs, speed bumps, the elimination of parking near crosswalks, upgrading crosswalks and signals, additional gateway features, continued traffic signal retiming and outreach plans.
The Commonwealth Times reached out to Kimley-Horn three times and did not receive a response in time for this article’s publication.
Some of the implementation, like installing speed bumps on West Grace Street, West Main Street and West Cary Street began last semester, according to the study.
Broad Street, Belvidere Street and Harrison Street are expected to have crosswalk upgrades, curb extensions and corner clearance markings.
The city of Richmond has been a part of the global strategy, Vision Zero, since 2017 to eliminate all traffic-related deaths, according to Vision Zero Richmond.
Thirteen people have been killed in traffic-related deaths this year, according to the Vision Zero Dashboard.
Director of Richmond City Public Works Bobby Vincent stated in a press release that Richmond is aiming to reduce traffic-related deaths to zero by 2023.
Han Vu, a fourth-year urban and regional studies student, said she learned how to cross the streets safely and what to watch out for.
“I would be lying if I say I am comfortable crossing the streets. I feel unsafe because of aggressive and unaware drivers,” Vu said. “There are drivers who are unfamiliar with the area and would turn right or left without checking for pedestrians crossing, resulting in a lot of honking and yelling.”
Vu said she is aware that VCU has been building asphalt speed bumps and has safety ambassadors around campus, but the effort should not stop there, she said.
VCU campaigned safety initiatives last semester after the two student deaths, with police officers dressed in referee clothes, blowing whistles and throwing down flags whenever a pedestrian violated crossing rules.
“I recommend we invest in red lights and speed cameras on Main Street, Cary Street and Broad Street,” Vu said. “There are also less costly alternatives like painting murals on parts of streets crossing through campus to alert drivers that they’re now in a school zone.”
Vu said eliminating traffic deaths could be challenging for Richmond, but achievable.
“Shifting to a new culture and prioritizing funds to protect pedestrians would increase [Vision Zero] success rates,” Vu said. “Shifting to a new culture could simply mean not rushing everywhere you go.”
Fourth-year UI/UX student Bel Belvedere said she sometimes feels safe crossing streets on campus.
“I feel like Belvidere Street is a little iffy because people drive so fast,” Belvedere said.
Belvedere said that VCU should put more speed bumps on the streets around campus, especially in high concentration foot traffic areas.
Summer Doppee, fourth-year environmental science student, said both pedestrians and drivers need to be more cautious.
“So many people jump in front of cars and then the car would have to break suddenly, which causes problems for the cars behind,” Doppee said. “But drivers should also understand that they could kill people in their cars.”
