OSU to limit vehicle traffic on Monroe Street

Monday, November 14, 2005

In light of growing concerns about pedestrian safety, a high-traffic section of Monroe Street through the Oklahoma State University campus will be restricted on weekdays beginning Nov. 21.

The segment of Monroe Street from the PIO Building north drive (Parker Lane) to Athletic Avenue south of the Agriculture Building will be closed Monday through Friday between 8:15 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. to all motor traffic except emergency vehicles and OSU Transit and Physical Plant vehicles. Drummond Lane access to and from Monroe will also be closed during the restricted hours.

“Our top priority is the safety and well-being of our students and other campus pedestrians,” said OSU System CEO and President David Schmidly. “As pedestrian and vehicular traffic on Monroe Street has grown, we have become increasingly concerned with safety. These changes allow us to make Monroe safer immediately as the university explores possible long-term solutions as part of the campus master plan.”

Barricades manned by student cadets will block unauthorized traffic at both Monroe Street locations. Blocking this section of Monroe Street does not restrict access to those authorized to park in any campus parking lots along Monroe Street.

“We’ve come up with a plan that provides increased safety for pedestrians while allowing access to parking for faculty and staff,” Schmidly said. “We would encourage pedestrians to cross Monroe in this new restricted zone when possible. And because Monroe will no longer be a through street on weekdays, drivers should avoid Monroe except for authorized parking or official business.”

Monroe Street divides much of the university’s on-campus housing from the academic core. Interaction between pedestrian, vehicular and bicycle traffic on the street, particularly during class changes at the bottom of each hour, has steadily grown as a safety issue. This change is a return to a daytime vehicle restriction policy lifted in the late 1980s.

Signs announcing the changes have been posted on Monroe Street and elsewhere.