Following fatal accidents in previous years, Washington State Patrol officials said there were no accidents on Highway 26 as students returned to WSU after winter break this time around.

Multiple WSU students died or sustained injuries in accidents during travel to and from Pullman during winter and Thanksgiving breaks last year, but all made it back safely this year.

“We had no collisions in our area,” said Patrolman William Stellmacher, who operates out of the Colfax office that patrols Whitman County Highways and other parts of Highway 26. “We had a car fire, but not an actual collision.”

WSU engineering students recently began a project to redesign the single-lane road to improve commuter safety.