Students might find several new additions to neighborhood streets next fall in response to campus groups' concerns about downtown safety.
These possible projects include additional lighting along several borough roads and the installation of a blue light emergency phone on Calder Way.
Public works director Mark Whitfield said the exact location of the blue light phone, which would resemble those found on campus, has not been determined. Possible locations are on Calder Way near the Pugh Street parking garage or the McAllister Street parking deck.
Undergraduate Student Government (USG) South Halls Sen. Ace Ekhtiarzadeh said the phone is supplementary to USG's continued effort to make on- and off-campus areas safe for students.
"It's not the only solution, but it's one part of the puzzle that we're trying to put together," he said.
Whitfield said the Pugh Street garage location might be more cost-effective because of pre-existing phone lines.
Borough manager Tom Fountaine said the borough would like to install the phone before the annual Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts in July. He said the cost of the phone is estimated between $3,500 to $4,000.
Fountaine said the fall semester would be a trial period and the borough could decide to move the phone to a campus location if its effectiveness is questionable.
State College Borough Council member Janet Knauer said placing a blue light phone in the alley might be a deterrent to crime, despite its cost.
"A blue light phone in Calder Way is a good idea," she said. "One would hope that you would just pick it up and scream into it ... that you just don't have to do much to get a response."
Talks regarding the placement of a blue light phone occurred in March as a joint initiative by the State College Police Department, State College Borough and USG.
Fountaine said the installation of the blue light phone on Calder Way looks favorable, and the project will happen by this summer.
"I think it's highly likely that we'll be able to install this phone on a trial basis," he said.
Whitfield said the borough also plans to add streetlights in 21 locations, including East Prospect and Foster avenues. The borough is considering the installation of 11 streetlights along Hamilton Avenue, but this location is not certain.
Whitfield said that to comply with the Off Campus Student Union's (OCSU) request, he would try to install one light by April 19 in order to commemorate Take Back the Night, an annual event dedicated to empowering women who are assault survivors.
OCSU Vice President Chris Babic said he is pleased with the borough's actions.
"They've done it as expeditiously as possible. The problem is that the borough is at the mercy of Allegheny Power," he said.
Knauer said she would like to discuss Hamilton Avenue light installation more and address possible residential concerns before proceeding with the project.
"I don't think council ... or the neighbors or students should be making unilateral decisions. I think this particular area needs to be discussed by everybody," she said.
At Monday's council meeting, Whitfield said adding lighting and poles along Garner Street might be another alternative for the borough to consider.
He said each of the poles and lights would cost about $240 each, not including installation. He added that lights along College and Beaver avenues cost between $5,000 and $7,000, including installation.
"We were trying to get as much light ... as we could, at a low cost," he said. "They're easy to install, easy to maintain."
Knauer said Garner Street has a history of vandalism, which might affect the lights.
"I'm just concerned that we don't spend $40,000 on an attractive nuisance that will just be seen as a mountain to be climbed and pulled down," she said.
