Student Senate keeps pushing to open road; city not budging

Members of Ohio University's Student Senate passed a resolution last November creating the Why No Oxbow Task Force, a committee calling for the re-evaluation of opening Bobcat Lane, the closed roadway that extends from Oxbow Trail to Richland Avenue, between Porter Hall and Baker Center.

The city has refused to open the short access road, citing safety concerns.

Mary Kate Gallagher, executive director of the task force, explained during a press conference Thursday that opening Bobcat Lane would increase access to Baker Center and nearby buildings. More importantly, she said, it would increase access for emergency vehicles.

Chris Wimsatt, chairman of the task force, agreed. "Opening this road could cut down on the response time for ambulances and police to get through, potentially saving a life," he said.

Wimsatt pointed out that the closed road restricts access to Baker Center, causing drivers to take South Green Drive to Oxbow Trail from Richland Avenue. He said the current two-lane service road is easy to block and time-consuming.

In a letter to the editor of The Athens NEWS last February, local resident James Sillery highlighted the results of a traffic study done on the issue. The findings as he related them said, "Connecting Bobcat Lane to Richland Avenue would improve access to the university's major destinations at the Baker Center, Porter Hall, the Grover Center, Bird Arena, the Aquatic Center and associated parking. More direct access would enhance public way-finding, improve emergency vehicle response and reduce total vehicle miles traveled."

  Despite those and other arguments, Athens Mayor Paul Wiehl has repeatedly stated that the city will not allow the curb-cut to open the road, which cost the university $150,000 to build.

Wiehl was originally quoted in 2008 saying that opening Bobcat Lane would be unsafe, endanger Richland Avenue bike path, and be likely to attract heavy pedestrian crossing traffic at that location.

The city currently has a legal pedestrian crosswalk on Richland Avenue a short distance south of Bobcat Lane, with hopes that most student walkers will use that crossing.

Since state law mandates that university officials must abide by the city's regulations for curb cuts and roads, Wimsatt said he hopes the new Why No Oxbow Task Force will spur conversation about the Bobcat Lane issue.

"It's the most viable solution to open Bobcat Lane," he added, "even if it opens just for emergency vehicle access at the very least."

The task force has addressed safety concerns by suggesting a required "right turn in, right turn out" set-up, so as not to "clog" Richland Avenue. Furthermore, Wimsatt noted that with the road closed, it has become a walkway for students, which is creating pedestrian traffic at that spot anyway.

Gallagher added that if the city allowed Bobcat Lane to open, the task force stands by advocating using the legal crosswalk for student safety. She pointed out that students adjusted just fine to the road on Jeff Hill opening, which raised similar concerns.

Tony Koehling, communication director for the task force, said he hopes this new dialogue will pave the way for a solution to "benefit both the community and university."

Why No Oxbow is open to both OU students and Athens community members. Koehling encouraged community feedback and involvement to help provide a "simple, safe access to Baker University Center," as was originally intended of the $150,000 road.