DeKalb has a new mayor and the Student Association has a new president, but Annie Glidden Task Force members assure the campus that election turnovers won’t delay safety changes at NIU.

Bob Albanese, NIU associate vice president of finance and facilities and co-chairman of the task force, said DeKalb and NIU officials have created a financial agreement and are lining up engineers and contractors to bid on different Annie Glidden construction options.

“We are approaching this project realistically and are looking to implement the quickest and easiest solutions first to help make Annie Glidden a safer place for students immediately,” Albanese said.

Some of the immediate solutions taking shape in the next few months include increasing the lighting between Lincoln Highway and West Hillcrest Drive, installing a temporary stop light at Stadium Drive and Annie Glidden and installing countdown timers on stoplights to warn pedestrians when lights will change. Also, the SA will head a major educational campaign to inform students of pedestrian safety.

“We want to make these changes right away and then evaluate them with the possibility of adding more long-term solutions later on,” Albanese said.

Annie Glidden safety became a glaring concern last fall after two pedestrians were hit on the road within three weeks. NIU senior Nicole Murawski died about 1:16 a.m. Sept. 15 when she was struck in an alleged hit-and-run while crossing Annie Glidden near Crane Drive. Freshman Georgene Volintine was struck Oct. 3 at Glidden and Lucinda Avenue, suffering minor injuries. The task force was formed later that month and met seven times between October and December before developing a series of recommendations, which it later presented to the NIU Faculty Senate and the DeKalb City Council.

Newly-elected SA president Troy Caldwell said he’s looking forward to working with NIU and city leaders to get the Annie Glidden fixes in place.

“The accident rate on Annie Glidden is terrible, and the SA sees the Annie Glidden project as a definite priority,” Caldwell said.

Caldwell wants to enforce the SA awareness campaign, work with DeKalb and University Police to enhance safety and encourage students to use the Late-Night Ride Service on weekends.

The SA director of transportation will oversee the SA’s role on the Annie Glidden project when the new director starts this summer.

“Public relations will be important to making students aware of the dangers of Annie Glidden,” Caldwell said. “These issues will be addressed, and it will be important to get input to ensure that students safety concerns are being met.”

Rena Cotsones, NIU executive director of community relations and a task force member, is working with the SA to promote the student safety campaign. Newly-elected DeKalb mayor Greg Sparrow also sees the project as a top priority.

“When parents send their children to school, they assume that they will be safe, especially when they cross the street,” Sparrow said.

The mayor noted that he wants to review all possible solutions to see which are the best. However, he said, solutions are never easy and quick, and cost would be a consideration.

“We also have to consider, if we build it, will they use it?” Sparrow said, referring to the new safety measures, as well as a pedestrian underpass beneath Annie Glidden, which has been suggested.

Sparrow, Albanese and others agree that students will start seeing changes by the fall semester. Outgoing SA president Ken Getty is confident that the project will move forward after he leaves office.

“I helped lay the groundwork for Annie Glidden safety, and I still want to be a part of it in whatever way I can after I leave office,” Getty said.