Students ignoring the signs may face fines of $75 each, but Department of Public Safety Interim
Director Tom Hicks hopes it doesn’t come to that. Large, highly visible signs have been placed at both ends of the Living Learning Center construction site on East 15th Avenue directing pedestrians to use the sidewalk on the opposite side of the street, but even with the added warning of a $75 ticket, many passersby are disregarding the signs and creating a traffic hazard along the fencing that extends out into the street, Hicks said.
“We don’t want to run over
anyone,” said Brad Tindall,
project manager for John Hyland Construction.
Tindall said he worries that tractors and other heavy machinery
being backed in and out of the site pose a danger to those who choose to walk alongside the fence. He
also expressed concern about
“kids ripping down (the street) on their bikes.”
“Traffic is having to stop at times because of the pedestrians,” Hicks said. “Fines would be a last measure; if we are not able to gain cooperation, we may have to resort to it.”
Both the Eugene Police Department and DPS officers can enforce the city ordinance that allows that portion of the street to be reserved for vehicular traffic only.
The construction project is expected to take another year and a half to be completed, and the fencing will be in place for the duration of that time.
According to its Web site, the Living Learning Center will provide on-campus housing for first-year students integrated with learning and an early introduction to the intellectual life at the University.
As enrollment has gone up
over the years, the need for additional housing has increased.
According to the project description, research indicates “better academic and social results for freshmen
involved in living/learning programs” better retention, higher grades, etc.

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