Public Safety Officer John Britton oversees the new roadway at Union County College.
UNION COUNTY – Traffic accidents are way down at Union County College.
The construction of a new Springfield Avenue entrance and roadway this past summer has paid off big with a dramatic drop in traffic accidents.
According to a report from the college’s Department of Public Safety, accidents on the campus during the fall semester decreased by 50 percent. The total number of motor-vehicle accidents on the campus dropped to 16 in Fall 2012—half of the number of “fender benders” that took place during fall 2011.
Union President Margaret McMenamin views the new roadway as a success in three ways. She says, “The construction project improved safety, increased parking capacity, and provided more direct access from Springfield Avenue into the heart of the campus.”
The work completed in August 2012 created a drop-off point that enabled students to alight from buses and go to class without crossing over a road. The new lot configuration also reduced the number of internal turns and resulted in a net gain of almost 60 parking spots.
McMenamin gives all due credit to the Facilities Department for overseeing the project and completing the work on time and within the budget. She also praises the college’s Public Safety Department for the officers’ daily patrols in the lots to direct students open parking lots and spaces.
