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Letter to the WCP Editor – 9.27.11

Letter to the WCP Editor – 9.27.11

Posted: Wednesday, September 28, 2011 7:02 pm

To the Editor,
Mt. Pelia Road, between its intersection with Hannings Lane, and Wayne Fisher Drive on the campus of the University of Tennessee-Martin, continues to be a nightmare for pedestrians, mostly students walking to their vehicles or the Student Recreation Center.
Stand along Mt. Pelia at any given day and you can witness most drivers texting (illegal), yapping on a mobile phone (dangerous at best) and flagrantly violating the 20 mile per hour speed limit (also illegal).
Walking across Mt. Pelia during the day is something akin to Russian Roulette, and at night it’s downright foolhardy without light-colored clothing.
And neither the Martin Police Department nor University Public Safety seem to be doing anything about it.
For eight months in the last year, I lived with a window facing Mt. Pelia Road.  I could see the road from nearly every place in my room.
I have never seen an officer – university or city – running radar on Mt. Pelia Road.  Ever.  
Did I ever see an officer stationed at the Mt. Pelia/Wayne Fisher crosswalk to direct traffic in the morning?  Nope.
Did I ever see an officer writing parking violations in the parking lots by Pacer Pond?  You betcha.
Is there a crossing guard on University Street to help faculty and staff cross the street from their parking area to the Administration Building? Sure is. Everyday.  
Now, I understand the demands placed on law enforcement agencies.  
For the past two summers, I have lived with and worked side-by-side with federal law enforcement officers.  
But as Mt. Pelia continues to be a nightmare that no one is seemingly doing a single thing about, I have to ask: where are the priorities of the local police force?
In revenue generation through parking tickets, or in the safety of the public?  In the safety of a select part of our community over in front of Administration, or in the safety of us all?
Sincerely,
Chance N. Finegan
Martin

WCP 9.27.11

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