Police: No hope for second crosswalk

Three UNA students cross Pine Street

In February 2010, the Florence Police Department announced that it would be issuing tickets to those caught jaywalking on Pine Street.

There was much controversy surrounding the issue, and UNA police Chief Bob Pastula said that Florence police had given out hundreds of warnings regarding jaywalking on Pine Street by the end of that month.

This year, however, the threat of getting a ticket for jaywalking has not been present on Pine Street, though Florence Police have focused more on Wood Avenue recently.

“[The Florence Police Department] is not currently enforcing [the jaywalking law], but that doesn’t mean they won’t,” Pastula said.

He said that UNA police do not enforce the law, but that it was a law initiated by the Florence Police Department. Pastula said that there is no possibility for a crosswalk to be put on Pine Street because of the steepness of the hill.

“Road engineers said no to a crosswalk because of the grade of the hill and the limited sight distance,” Pastula said. He said that if drivers are speeding on Pine Street, they will not have enough time to stop for pedestrians, even if there is a crosswalk.

Paige Hamrick, a sophomore accounting major, said that she walks across Pine Street without using the crosswalk at least twice every week.

“I have never seen or heard of someone getting a ticket for jaywalking on Pine Street,” Hamrick said. She said that she and many other members of the Pride of Dixie marching band find using crosswalks inconvenient when walking to and from the practice field.

Hamrick said that she did not think giving tickets for jaywalking was a good idea. Jaywalking tickets were issued last year by the Florence Police Department, and the fine was up to $100.