SVSU should continue renovation of athletic complex

September 24, 2007 —

Slow down. Shortly after the acquisition of a portion of Davis Road by SVSU, the University promptly reduced the speed limit from 45 mph to 35 mph, an obvious decision in light of the fact that SVSU is becoming an increasingly pedestrian-dominated campus. Lowering the speed of the road should be the first step in an overhaul of the area that better connects SVSU athletics with the rest of campus.

SVSU's athletics complex has long needed a makeover, and it appears that it is finally getting one. The new soccer field, unveiled a couple of weeks ago, is drastically better in every conceivable way than the old one. The entrances to the complex give some semblance of cohesion to the entire area and a sense of community to the athletic complex, which has sorely lacked it since the Ryder Center was built in the late 80s.

The reduced speed limit on Davis Road between Pierce Road and College Drive is a sign that SVSU is entering one of the last phases of a transformation into a pedestrian campus, despite its sizable commuter base.

Anyone who has spent time attending or even visiting other universities should understand that the amount of vehicle traffic at SVSU is something an anomaly. At many large colleges, driving a car through campus is a fool's errand. There is simply too much foot traffic to make any headway.

That's not a bad thing. College campuses should function as communities, and it's impossible to forge a community when everyone's in a car. Part of SVSU's struggle to form a coherent identity is getting everyone out of their dorms and cars and into athletic events and on-campus organizations.

Continuing to renovate and improve the athletics complex needs to be part of any strategy to get commuter students out of their vehicles and on-campus residents out of their dorms. Student athletes want to be proud to host visting teams, and parents want to enjoy watching their kids play sports at modern and clean facilities. And perhaps most importantly, students that watch the games want to watch good teams - but that's another matter entirely.

And while no one wants to admit it, everyone wants SVSU to look good. Resurfacing Davis Road should be very, very, very high on the list of capital expenditures the Board of Control approves for the fiscal year 2008. As of now, it is a mess. It is a place where good tires go to die, and it looks terrible. Potholes and other pockmarks contrast starkly with SVSU's well-groomed bushes, trees, and sidewalks that look impeccable. It's easy to imagine visiting teams getting a chuckle out of the embarassing piece of real estate.

After reducing the speed limit and resurfacing Davis Road, SVSU might want to consider another fairly drastic measure in order to encourage foot traffic from the academic and residential areas of campus to the athletic area: ban vehicle traffic (except for authorized vehicles) from campus during certain times of the day and evening when athletic events are taking place. There are already several corners on SVSU's campus where pedestrians almost never seem to actually have the right-of-way (the 4-way stop by the Regional Education Center is No Man's Land for foot traffic).

Simply forbidding vehicle traffic during athletic events is a logical step in finalizing the transformation of SVSU from a racetrack to a college campus.