The Cavalier daily :: Friday, October 1, 1971 :: University of Virginia Library

Condolences to the twelve or
more people who have already been
involved in traffic accidents
involving vehicles on the grounds
this year. You are merely a statistic.

In the calendar year 1969 there
were 113 reported accidents on the
grounds. In 1970 there were 132.
That was a rise of 16 per cent, or in
more obvious terms it meant that
by Christmas of last year the
reports of automobile accidents on
the grounds alone were coming in
to the Department of Security at
the rate of four per week. Figures
such as these are, however, only
the tip of the iceberg. The
Department of Security has figures
only for those accidents which
occur on the grounds proper; the
precincts are handled by County,
City or State Police and figures are
unavailable.

This much we do know: There
are 5,789 student vehicles already
registered this semester and the
Department of Security estimates
9,000 will be registered by the end
of the year. There are 4,754 faculty
and staff vehicles already registered
and based on last years total of
6,700 faculty-staff vehicles
registered, this figure may be
expected to reach 7,000. And these
figures do not cover those vehicles
kept by students ineligible for
vehicle permits, such as those
parked each night at "St. Thomas
-a-go-go" on Alderman Road.

This much we also know: for
the approximately 16,000 vehicles
expected to be in operation in and
around the Grounds there are only
5,831 parking spaces available.
Even if we accept the Kimley-Horn
parking survey figures on actual
daily desired parking spaces' the
University falls short by 1,389
spaces per day.

Pedestrian Traffic

In fact the Charlottesville
Department of Planning estimated
that daily traffic to and from the
University in 1965 was 18,087
vehicles and based on lower
estimates of University expansion
predicted a daily traffic flow of
40,019 vehicles by 1985.

But let us not assume that this is
the only problem. There remains
the incredible burgeoning
pedestrian traffic and that
remarkable insurgent of 1971, the
bicycle. Despite the fact that
students appear to be attempting to
combat the serious traffic
difficulties in the Cabell Hall
corridors by holding hands during
class changes, the elementary task
of regulating simple body flow
between academic facilities has
proven impossible to cope with.
And trying not to walk on the grass
of Homer Quadrangle-hah! If the
pedestrian traffic remains static,
even if there was no expansion at
all, the paths would still need to be
widened 100 per cent. It is
impossible to progress up the down
walkway without being shouldered
off the concrete—and one can't be
expected to thrash every bounder
who forces one to the wayside.

The East and West terraces of
Lawn's South end have become
almost impassable with bicycles of
every size and description. Indeed,
on some days it is a struggle to
clamber over them without looking
as if you've just untangled your
pant-leg from an oily chain, and if
there were ever a need to evacuate
the building in a hurry these
bicycles could present a serious
hazard. Daily, students report near
or actual mishaps by undisciplined
cyclists who maneuver their craft
undaunted through the eddying
mass of pedestrians.

And so we have the problem.
There are probably 2,000 too few
parking places available this year

while 70 per cent of the student
body is forced to live in off-grounds
housing. There are plainly and
simply too many students crowded
into too few classrooms which has
produced a nauseating pedestrian
traffic congestion at the conclusion
of every class. And there has sprung
up a non-regulated vehicular traffic
which is increasing' the dodgey
nature of securing a safe passage
anywhere on the grounds.

What are the solutions? Well, the
administration has cast its eagle eye
over all surface areas and where
practicable rendered them unto the
use of the automobile. So much for
the aesthetic qualities of the Greek
theatre. So much for the lawn areas
of the remaining Dawson's Row
houses. And the latest areas under
consideration?: "a parking garage in
the hospital area and...parking areas
in the Birdwood tract and on
University property adjacent to US
29, south of US 250." These new
areas, combined with the proposed
parking meters, graduated parking
fees ranging from $100 down to a
minimum of $15, and busing
system of some sort represent the
administration's solution to the
traffic and transportation problem.

Unh-unh. Nope. They missed
the boat. Until the administration
learns the very evident difference
between cause and effect they have
no hope of coping with the
problems which confront this
University. It is not good enough to
just say 'Well, half of one, six dozen
of the other.'

Eliminate Cars

Transportation problems are not
the effect of the shortage of
parking spaces, they are the cause.
The proper solution is not to build
more and more parking spaces in an
ever increasing servitude to our
faithful servitor. The proper
solution is to develop an
environment in which the
automobile can play no useful
purpose. If a mass transit system
were established, in conjunction
with the City of Charlottesville,
that effectively meets the needs of
faculty, staff, and students the
automobiles would not appear at
the University. What ever happened
to the nickel ride and the 1 ry's
Spring Tramway?

Busing System

What solutions can we ofter? We
must begin by demanding a
comprehensive busing system to
begin immediately—by the
beginning of the week by the latest.
(Use money that has been slated for
the outrageous expenditure on
parking meters.) Demand a
cessation of all vehicular traffic on
the grounds immediately—parking
for lawn and range residents only
with restricted entry and exit
periods: all present roads to become
pedestrian thoroughfares.

All parking places reserved for
non-resident faculty-staff vehicles
in the central grounds to be closed
and sodded over-restore unto us
our Greek theatre'. Establish a
central parking area at University
Hall and thither transfer the
Security Police, that would under
the present system occupy
themselves with ticketing parking
violators, to provide maximum
protection for these vehicles from
possible vandalism and theft. We
must demand that large numbers of
suitable bicycle racks be erected and
that cycling as an alternative to
driving be whole-heartedly
encouraged by the administration
within limited restrictions to
protect the pedestrians. And
further we must demand that
capital investment must be
restricted to buildings constructed
to alleviate the present
overcrowding in academic and
living facilities and not to attract
greater numbers of future students.

Again, in these demands as in all
others, if we can not achieve what
we hold to be our rights in a
markedly swift fashion we must
force the pace ourselves. Where is
Bill Murdock of the 1956 car riot
fame when we need him?

The crisis is now. Our education
is at stake. Realize it or not we are
already to the wall. Cram or perish.

Now we shove back!