SEMO TO INSTALL SAFETY LIGHTS, PHONES

Southeast Missouri State University will turn many of its sidewalks into a "lighted corridor" that will include emergency telephones to improve campus safety.

Most of the trench work already has been done by university crews. School officials hope to have the new light poles, fixtures and telephones installed next month.

Ken Dobbins, Southeast's executive vice president, said area contractors were too busy to handle the trench work. So the university has rented a trenching machine and is doing the work with crews from its own facilities management department, formerly physical plant.

The lighted corridor will run across the entire campus, from the Show Me Center to Houck Field House. The corridor's route will link Southeast's residence halls and many of its academic buildings. The corridor includes the sidewalks around Academic Hall and around Kent Library.

University officials said the whole idea is to make the campus safer.

Students in the past have complained about walking at night through dimly lit areas of the campus.

Public Safety Director Doug Richards said Southeast is a relatively safe campus, but a "lighted corridor" will ensure a safer environment.

Jason Crowell agreed. He is president of the Student Government Association at Southeast.

"We don't want to wait for a rape on campus to occur before we do something," he said.

The university is footing must of the bill. But student fees also are helping to pay for the $126,000 project. Student Government is contributing $7,500 from student fees; the Residence Hall Association $4,000.

In all, 21 emergency phones will be installed on concrete pillars along campus sidewalks at a cost of $38,000. With a press of a button, the caller will be connected to the campus police office and a strobe light mounted on the pole automatically will be activated.

The lighting portion of the project will cost $88,000. Bill Frayser, project manager, said 66 new poles and high-pressure sodium lights will be installed, along with 12 building lights.

Twenty-nine existing lights will be removed, with six of them to be relocated to other areas of campus.

Frayser said the new lights will be spaced closer together to better illuminate the sidewalks. The lights will be about 80 to 95 feet apart in most places.

Currently, for example, there are only two lights along the "Cardiac Hill" sidewalk. That area will be lit by four lights as part of the project, Frayser said.

Jim Daume, Southeast's technical services manager, said the new lighting will be brighter and more directional.

"I think it will be great for the students to have that safety on campus," he said.