The Reilly Center
Morgan Kilger/The Bona Venture
BY: JULIA BABCOCK, STAFF WRITER
In fall 2023, St. Bonaventure University implemented speed bumps in front of the Reilly Center. The speed bumps only stayed up for a few weeks before being removed.
Freshman education major, Ella McIntyre, was confused as to why the speed bumps were added just to be taken out about a month later.
“I don’t get why the speed bumps were only up for a month just to be taken away,” said McIntyre.
Gary Segrue, associate dean for campus safety, said that the speed bumps were taken out because of icy weather during the winter months.
“The speed bumps were never intended to remain during months of inclement weather. Plowing and the removal of snow during winter months would be problematic,” said Segrue.
However, McIntyre doesn’t understand the purpose of implementing the speed bumps for such a short time.
“They were up for such a short period of time, so how are they grasping any data?” said McIntyre.
According to Segrue, it is too early to tell if the speed bumps will have a lasting effect, but in the months they were up they were successful in slowing down drivers.
“They have accomplished the goal of slowing motorists down and hence, making the area safer,” said Segrue. “We have experienced less auto accidents but it’s too early to tell with the limited time the speed bumps were present.”
McIntyre didn’t believe that the speed bumps served a purpose at all because they were so tall students tried to avoid them the best they could.
“I don’t think they did anything,” said McIntyre. “If anything people just found workarounds. I don’t think they served their purpose. If you make smaller bumps, they may serve their purpose more. People are trying to avoid them or drive around them because of how tall they were.”
When the speed bumps were installed, they were only placed in front of the RC. The road in front of the RC has the most amount of automotive accidents on campus and also attracts lots of foot traffic. With the athletic fields on the other side of the road, it causes more people to cross the road.
According to Segrue, there is a possibility that speed bumps will be added in other locations around campus, although this will not be the case when they are re-installed on March 1.
“The reason for installing speed bumps in front of the Reilly Center was threefold,” said Segrue. “First, throughout my tenure at SBU there are more auto accidents in front of the RC than anywhere else on campus. Second, there is a high volume of pedestrian traffic crossing Bonaventure Road toward the athletic fields. Finally, we have observed many motorists disregard the two stop signs in front of the RC coupled with observing excessive speeding.
The speed bumps will remain in place in front of the RC with the hopes of decreasing automotive accidents and making a safer environment.
babcocjl23@bonaventure.edu
