City, University Officials Celebrate New Safety Measures Near Campus
The area where Rockhurst University and the University of Missouri Kansas City are located include hundreds of neighbors as well as approximately 15,000 college students.
That means a lot of people walking back and forth across the busy Troost Avenue, each day. On May 9, city and university officials together dedicated a new stoplight at the intersection of 51st Street and Troost to make all of that pedestrian travel safer.
The new signal comes mere months after a UMKC student, Yuxi Wu, was struck and killed at the intersection in September. Kansas City, Missouri, Mayor Quinton Lucas said at the ceremony that the signal is the latest move in ongoing efforts to make city streets more safe and friendly to users of all kinds.
“We need to make sure that everyone, whether they are pedestrians, whether they’re cyclists, people who are driving to get around this city in a safe way,” he said. “We need to make sure that we create an accessible community for all.”
The story of the stoplight on 51st is also one that speaks to the power of collaboration. Nearly immediately after the September tragedy, officials at Rockhurst and UMKC contacted city leaders, who fast-tracked the project and used materials on hand to construct the light. Sandra Cassady, Ph.D., Rockhurst University president, said the improvement to the intersection offers reassurance to neighbors and institutional leaders alike.
“There is nothing more important to us than the safety and security of our students, our faculty, our staff, and all the guests who visit our campuses,” she said.
