Two Indiana University students were struck by a car Oct. 18 at the crosswalk at 17th Street and Eagleson Avenue, leading to injuries that sent them both to the hospital.
In the days following, the City of Bloomington’s Public Works Department installed new pedestrian crossing signage to “boost visibility and calm traffic while larger design changes are being evaluated,” Desiree DeMolina, the city’s communications director, said in a statement.
The design changes will align with the Safe Streets for All Plan, which describes the city’s approach to road safety and outlines data collected from injuries, crashes and feedback from the community.
While the city and IU continue to try to make roads safer, some IU students still feel unsafe crossing roads on campus.
“I would say by Greek row is where I feel most unsafe, I think because people do go faster,” sophomore Sophia Revesz said.
The Oct. 18 crash occurred near the fraternity and sorority houses on Eagleson Avenue, a spot that has been the site of multiple crashes., In November 2024, two IU students and two other pedestrians were hit by a car and sustained injuries.
In response to the crash last month, IU senior Hannah Kajor started a petition to improve the safety at that crosswalk, mentioning the lack of lighting and stop signs.
“Implementing a well-lit environment, accompanied by clear traffic control measures such as a stoplight or stop sign, is essential to prevent potential accidents,” the petition stated.
The petition has more than 7,900 signatures as of Nov. 3 and was recognized by Bloomington City Council President Hopi Stosberg.
“I have previously identified this intersection as a safety concern,” Stosberg said in a comment on the petition website. “This intersection has been prioritized by the Planning & Transportation and Engineering departments as part of the Crosswalk Improvement Plan as a Phase 3 project.”
For drivers, as well as students, crosswalks can be dangerous.
“People just cross without looking, so you just have to make sure people aren’t going when you’re driving,” freshman Mason McConney said. “Even if it’s not just walking, safety-wise, when you’re driving around these intersections, especially the one by Wright and Wells, it’s tough sometimes.”
Revesz said the 10th Street and Fee Lane crosswalk is safer due to its electronic pedestrian signals, unlike the crosswalk at 17th Street and Eagleson Avenue.
“The one outside of McNutt, where the bus stop is at Foster, is unsafe because the cars don’t stop; they just keep coming,” freshman Evan Bell said.
According to crash data from the City of Bloomington, 329 pedestrians and 219 bicyclists were involved in crashes from 2019-2024.
East and West Third Streets and South Walnut Street were listed as the top three high-frequency streets for pedestrian crashes, according to the crash data from the city.
“I feel like IU could put speed bumps in front of them to make them safer,” Bell said.
While some students said IU could add more safety measures, others said they feel the areas are safe enough.
“I wouldn’t ever say unsafe, but I do think some of the intersections could definitely be put together better,” McConney said.
McConney suggested adding more lighting on the streets and sidewalks at night because it can be difficult to see pedestrians.
DeMolina said the city owns 17th Street while IU owns Eagleson Avenue. The two entities were scheduled to meet the week of Oct. 26 to coordinate improvements for the crosswalk before the crash occurred.
The city did not respond to a request for comment about the outcome of that meeting by time of publication.
“We always welcome community feedback to make our city safer,” DeMolina said. “Many of the changes people want to see—like improved crosswalk visibility, signal timing, and traffic-calming—are already part of this coordinated, long-term strategy.”
