\n\tBy SHANNON O. WELLS<\/p>\n
\n\tAnyone driving in Oakland knows that construction on Pittsburgh Regional Transit\u2019s Bus Rapid Transit line is impacting Fifth Avenue from Bellefield Avenue to Robinson Street.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cJust about every intersection has been impacted at some point or will be impacted, for milling, patching, paving the roadways and basically installing new sidewalks, curb cuts and accessible ramps throughout,\u201d Pitt Police Commander Bradley Kiefer told the Senate\u2019s Campus Utilization, Planning, and Safety (CUPS) committee on April 7.<\/p>\n
\n\tPitt Police has additional patrols along the Fifth Avenue corridor where construction is underway, and a special traffic enforcement detail has been out and about, \u201cpaying particular attention to these problem areas where there\u2019s pedestrian safety concerns,\u201d he said. \u201cOfficers are out there writing citations, providing warnings as appropriate, and provide education and awareness about the ongoing construction in the area.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tDrivers are permitted to use the former counter-flow bus lane traveling toward downtown on Fifth Avenue \u201cat least through the end of April, from what I\u2019m told, to help alleviate some of the traffic and congestion,\u201d Kiefer noted.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n\tAlso, curb cuts on sidewalks and subsequent paving is taking place on Fifth Avenue between University Place and Thackeray Avenue.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cEach week, we should see some progress in some of these intersections starting to open up to help alleviate \u2026 both pedestrian traffic and vehicular traffic,\u201d Kiefer said, noting crews will be on site, depending on weather, between 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays.<\/p>\n
\n\tHe added that representatives from Public Safety, Pitt Mobility, and Pittsburgh\u2019s Department of Mobility and Infrastructure have examined most intersections that have generated complaints about pedestrian safety.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cWe\u2019re working really hard to bring all the right people to the table to help make these safer for both pedestrians and vehicles,\u201d he said. \u201cThere\u2019s some short-term recommendations, some long-term solutions. Obviously, just paving it and finishing the job should help correct it all.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tKiefer noted that two flaggers now are on duty at the intersection of Fifth Avenue and Darragh Street in front of Biomedical Science Tower 3 during contractors\u2019 work hours Mondays through Saturdays, and the crosswalk will remain open.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cThey\u2019re going to install temporary water buffalo-like barriers to create more gap between where vehicles are traveling northbound on Darragh Street, going up the hill and away from pedestrians,\u201d he said, adding that the project could be completed by mid-April.<\/p>\n
\n\tOne block down Fifth Avenue, at Lothrop Street, the original crosswalk will be moved about 15 feet up the hill where there\u2019s been a temporary crosswalk with cones and signs.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cThey\u2019re going to put in temporary paintings on the ground for that. We\u2019re hoping that this is going to improve visibility for drivers, \u2026 and make it safer for pedestrians there as well,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\n\tTwo stop signs are supposed to be installed at Fifth and Bouquet Street, where the traffic light has been out. \u201cSo, if you\u2019re on Fifth Avenue approaching Bouquet Street going westbound, there\u2019s going to be a stop sign in each of the two lanes,\u201d Kiefer said. \u201cThat should help make it safer for pedestrians to safely cross over.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tAt the April 15 Faculty Assembly meetings, CUPS Chair David Salcido praised the steps that have been taken at Fifth and Darragh. \u201cWe had a pretty serious issue with the construction on Fifth Avenue and Darragh Street \u2014 a lot of faculty concerns, staff concerns. We had a very productive engagement with our public safety partners who contacted the contractor, as well as PRT \u2026 and everybody came together and made some great changes. So I just want you to know that please continue to tell us when there are issues, because things can get done thanks to all those partners.\u201d<\/p>\n
\tTornado warnings<\/p>\n
\n\tThe CUPS committee also heard information about what to do in the event of a tornado, in light of the tornado warning that was issued for the Pittsburgh area on March 26.<\/p>\n
\n\tTed Fritz, vice chancellor for public safety and emergency management, said changing weather patterns have made tornados an active topic of concern.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cThe National Weather Service put out an alert (and city of Pittsburgh) police put out an emergency notification as well, so it\u2019s a good time to just cover some basics on tornado events,\u201d he said, noting that Pitt\u2019s communication center in the Public Safety Building operates \u201c24\/7.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cWe always have a weather connection there in the form of a weather radio (that\u2019s) certified by the National Weather Service as a storm-ready institution. \u2026 You have to jump through several hoops to get that designation,\u201d Fritz noted. \u201cOne of the reasons we got that is because of our ability to monitor the weather.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tEspecially when big events are going on, Pitt receives tailored forecasts from the National Weather Service, \u201cwhich is really helpful. The bottom line is, we are monitoring that.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tDifferent classifications trigger what actions the Public Safety department will take. \u201cIf there\u2019s a tornado watch, for example, we will be posting on our social media, \u2018Hey, there\u2019s a tornado watch out there. Make sure you\u2019re paying attention and keeping an eye on the weather \u2026 (and) go over what your individual or department plans are in the event this watch becomes a warning that could impact your area.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tAn official tornado \u201cwarning\u201d is issued only if it appears Oakland and the Pitt campus are in the storm\u2019s track.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cWe also do that for the regional campuses,\u201d he said. \u201cBut if we did one, for example, at (Pitt\u2013Greensburg), you all would not get an emergency notification unless you\u2019re signed up for Greensburg ENS alerts,\u201d he said of the Emergency Notification System. \u201cWe\u2019re monitoring that for all the different campuses. What the warning means is this is an immediate threat, and there\u2019s actions that you should take.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tThe ENS message will likely contain a website link with \u201clots of specific directions,\u201d such as \u201cGo to a basement or an interior room,\u201d Fritz noted. \u201cIf you\u2019re outdoors, you should be seeking shelter in a sturdy building. Those types of actions.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tThe National Weather Service recently added the \u201ctornado emergency\u201d classification, where a tornado is often on the ground or about to be on the ground. \u201cIf it\u2019s a violent tornado, and they expect catastrophic actions from that tornado \u2026 we would issue, obviously, emergency notification for that as well.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tFritz noted that most tornadoes that have impacted the University come from the east, toward Greensburg, along with just north of Pittsburgh.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cThe Westmoreland area seems to be more in a track,\u201d he said, along with a \u201csimilar track\u201d to the north of Pittsburgh, \u201cbut we\u2019re not immune.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tIf a tornado is imminent and you\u2019re in a high-rise building such as the Cathedral of Learning, Fritz said the key advice is to stay out of elevators and seek shelter away from windows, such as in a stairwell.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cGetting from the very top of the Cathedral to the bottom poses some difficulty, and it\u2019s not without danger either. \u2026 You have a bunch of people storming down the stairs,\u201d he said. The best places of refuge in most of Pitt buildings, including the upper floors of the Cathedral, are the stairwells, if you can\u2019t get downstairs to the basement, Fritz said.<\/p>\n
\n\tIf a building\u2019s stairwell has glass doors or windows, such as the Strand building on Forbes Avenue, Fritz recommended retreating to any interior room away from windows. Bathrooms tend to be strongly reinforced to protect plumbing infrastructure.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cYou definitely want to go to \u2026 wherever there\u2019s an interior room away from windows, something solid. The bathrooms are a great idea, usually, to be able to go there,\u201d he said, adding that all Pitt buildings have emergency plans associated with them.<\/p>\n
\n\tFor more information about safe building evacuation, visit the Office of Public Safety & Emergency Management\u2019s Environmental Health & Safety website<\/a>.<\/p>\n \n\tShannon O. Wells is a writer for the University Times. Reach him at\u00a0shannonw@pitt.edu<\/a>.<\/p>\n \n\t\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\tHave a story idea or news to share?\u00a0Share<\/a>\u00a0it with the University Times.<\/p>\n \n\tFollow the University Times on\u00a0Twitter\u00a0<\/a>and\u00a0Facebook<\/a>.<\/p>\n