By Tricia Pursell
SELINSGROVE — The construction of a science building across the street from Susquehanna University’s main campus has led to fears of incidents between pedestrians and motorists.
Those fears may soon be alleviated with a 44-inch metal fence along University Avenue that is expected to be completed in the next month.
The $1.5 million University Avenue improvements project, starting near the main entrance of Susquehanna University and ending at 18th Street, began last summer after Selinsgrove borough officials reviewed plans for the school’s new science building and the modest expansion of the admissions office parking lot.
“The concern of the borough was that it would have added crossings on University Avenue, and pedestrian safety has been an issue of the university and the borough,” said John Bickhart, Selinsgrove borough manager.
The science building is expected to be completed in March.
Susquehanna University is paying for the road project, which will include five texturized crosswalks, and low-level street lights. The project is partially funded by a Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program state grant.
Crosswalks were at first to be placed only in the area of the science building, but the borough was concerned about a wider area where visitors, students and faculty would be crossing University Avenue.
The university also just recently purchased a Catholic church along University Avenue, also across from the main campus.
According to Rick Rebuck, assistant director of facilities management at Susquehanna University, the school has not decided how that property will be used.
Brick piers with concrete toppings are currently located along University Avenue. Black metal fencing, intended to prohibit pedestrians from crossing except at the crosswalks, will be installed between the piers.
“It remains to be seen how many kids will hop the fence,” Bickhart said. “But you have to deal with the public as cattle, and we’re building a corral.”
There are more than 1,900 students enrolled this fall at Susquehanna University.
The area around the fencing will be landscaped in the spring, Rebuck said.
The project has been able to move along quickly, according to Bickhart, mostly because of closing University Avenue for about three weeks in the summer.
Officials had talked about the possibility of creating tunnels or overhead crossings as part of the project, which was being planned for two years. They had also reduced the speed limit to 25 mph as an initial step to try to increase safety, Bickhart said.
There were originally three crosswalks, then two, he said, and at that point the borough posted an additional warning at the mid-block crosswalks.
However, pedestrians continued to cross at places other than crosswalks, and motorists would sometimes stop for them, and sometimes not.
“That confusion, in my opinion,” Bickhart said, “was very hazardous.”
