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WVU SGA safety walk flags sidewalks, crosswalks and lighting near campus
Summary
Student Government Association members briefed Morgantown City Council on a campus safety walk that documented 174 reports (a 20% increase) and survey responses showing lower perceived nighttime safety; priorities include sidewalk and curb‑ramp repairs, crosswalk visibility and lighting fixes.
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Student Government leaders reported results from the fall 2025 campus safety walk and an associated questionnaire, urging city and university collaboration to address pedestrian safety and accessibility near WVU campus.
Ethan Enterline and Brian Cole said the Oct. 16 safety walk produced 174 total reports across downtown and Evansdale groups, about a 20% increase from the prior semester, and that participants logged issues using the ArcGIS QuickCapture app. The categorized reports included repair needs for sidewalks and curb ramps, 54 sidewalk reports, 22 crossing reports and 21 lighting reports. The survey (68 respondents) rated daytime walking safety 4.6/5 and nighttime safety 3.3/5, with sidewalks and streets scoring lower.
Students highlighted specific problem areas: nonfunctional crosswalk buttons at Spruce Street and High Street and at the Campus Drive/University Avenue/Stewart Street intersection, damaged sidewalk segments on Fife Avenue, and poor lighting around the Life Sciences building and LSB Quad. The presenters urged targeted repairs, more pedestrian‑scale lighting, and clearer delineation of university versus city maintenance responsibilities.
City staff said many previously flagged issues (University Avenue, Beechhurst crosswalks, truncated domes) have been addressed and that the student database and resolution would be shared with relevant city and state contacts, including DOH and university facilities staff. SGA said planning for community meetings would begin in January and that the QuickCapture app remains open for additional reports.
No formal council action was taken; council members praised student engagement and asked staff to follow up on items that fall under city responsibility.
