Road safety concerns heightened amid crashes

The recent deaths of WSU students in car crashes have reopened a conversation about the safety of the two main highways into Pullman.

Students Rachel Pomeroy, Dashiell Mortell and Jessica Brooks all died in car crashes while traveling to or from Pullman during winter break.

Last year, after two other WSU students died in car crashes over Thanksgiving break, an online petition started by concerned parent Dorene Boyle reached more than 6,000 signatures. The petition urged the Washington State Department of Transportation to put in a second lane or more passing lanes on U.S. Routes 26 and 195.

WSU Provost Dan Bernado and Sen. Mark Schoesler (R) both said passing lanes are scheduled for construction on Highway 26 by 2025 as part of a transportation package signed last year. They both said they do not believe there is one single solution, but that educating young drivers is an important part.

Schoesler also said he was working in the Washington Legislature to expedite road improvements in his district, which includes long stretches of both highways.

While students and parents continue to be concerned with road safety, State Trooper Brian Moore said 99 percent of crashes over the past several weeks have been caused by driver error or driving too fast for the road conditions. He said the best way to prevent crashes from happening is to slow down and increase following distance.

“Roads don’t cause crashes,” Trooper Jeff Sevigny said. “People do.”

WSU’s administration came under fire for failing to cancel classes due to the snowy conditions facing many students returning to Pullman for the first week back to school.

WSU President Kirk Schulz asked the WSU community on Twitter for ideas on how the university could manage the high volume of traffic to and from Pullman.

“Our goal is always to ensure EVERYONE arrives and departs Pullman safely all year long with no accidents, injuries, or deaths.” Schulz stated in a separate tweet,

Bernardo, then interim president, said last year he believed additional work was needed on Highways 26 and 195. He said students should exercise caution when traveling.

“I don’t think there is any question that Highway 26 is dangerous,” he said.

During his time as WSU president, Bernardo began a safe driving initiative in cooperation with Washington State Patrol, the Washington State Department of Transportation and ASWSU. The initiative put signs on the highway outside Colfax warning students not to text and drive.

Bernardo said student safety is a great concern to him and Schulz alike. He said there was nothing worse in his time as president than when the two students passed away over Thanksgiving break.

Rob Strenge, WSU spokesperson, said, “The university has no official opinion on the safety of Highway 26.”

Strenge said WSU officials have concerns about Highways 26 and 195, but that they are not the authority on whether or not the roads are safe. Determining that is up to other organizations, he said.

“The problem has not been solved,” Strenge said, “and we recognize that.”

An ASWSU resolution, which would have WSU lobby for passing lanes to be added to Highway 26 during the current legislative session, passed unanimously out of the Rules committee yesterday and will go to the Senate floor for discussion on Wednesday.  Sen. Kevin Schilling wrote the resolution, which acknowledged the multiple student deaths on Highway 26 during this academic year.