SEMO, CITY DISCUSS USE OF BUS SYSTEM

Could Southeast Missouri State University expand its shuttle-bus system to cover Doctors' Park, West End Mall, downtown and other parts of the city? Could it serve nonstudents as well as students?

City Councilman Melvin Gateley asked those questions Wednesday night at a meeting on campus between the Cape Girardeau City Council and top executives at the university. University Executive Vice President Ken Dobbins said, "We may be able to work cooperatively on that."

University President Dale Nitzschke said, "That's a good point to the extent that the students would use it."

Mayor Al Spradling III said, "There may be a greater demand now that we've lost a grocery store downtown."

Dobbins said ridership on the campus shuttle service has risen significantly.

Dobbins said after the meeting that other schools operate bus systems that serve the entire city. He came to Southeast Missouri from Kent State University where the students operated a 50-bus transit system for a city of more than 28,000. All the bus drivers are students. Students with IDs get to ride for free while the townspeople buy bus passes.

University spokeswoman Ann Hayes said the university currently runs a shuttle system off campus on special occasions. For example, the shuttle takes students to the mall during Christmas shopping season.

Otherwise, the shuttle ventures no farther than a block off campus to pick up students at university-owned apartments, Dobbins said.

The officials met after taking a tour of the campus.

Al Stoverink, director of facilities management for the campus, showed the council the area near Bertling and North Sprigg streets. The university plans to build intramural athletic fields, varsity softball fields, tennis courts, and possibly park-and-ride lots southwest of the intersection, he said.

He said the University Foundation just bought 27 acres on the southeast side of the intersection and has no immediate plans for the use of the undeveloped property.

When the bus crossed the intersection of North Henderson Avenue, New Madrid Street and Greek Drive, it came to a sudden stop as the driver had to make an evasive maneuver to avoid a car speeding over the crest of the hill.

Stoverink said that underlines the dangers drivers face at the intersection. Construction on a redesigned intersection could start as early as next month.