The speed bump, located in front of the Human Health Building, is the first speed bump Oakland University has seen.

Standing six-inches above the ground from the highest point of the road level, the bump was constructed this past summer.

Scratches and scrapes from vehicles can currently be found on the bump.The university does not consider these scrapes to be damage.

“I don’t look at it really as damage,” Terry Stollsteimer, associate vice president for faculties management, said. “It’s not really hurting anything… it’s scraping the asphalt and there is no damage. If there is any damage, their car is going to be damaged more than the road.”

Stollsteimer said one should never “bottom out” when driving over the speed bump at 10-15 miles an hour.

“We (facilities management) have received maybe three complaints, one being a vice president, saying he did not like the bump because his car is very low,” he said.

According to Mark Gordon, captain of Oakland University Police Department, there have been no reports of car damage done as a result of the bump.

“I understand there have been complaints, especially to the facilities office, about the fact that the speed bump is there,” Gordon said. “I just haven’t personally received any messages about damage to vehicles or about getting a car fixed.”

Gordon said the bump is on the curve, which impairs vision for those coming around it.

In order to make the crosswalk safer for pedestrians, a speed bump was set in place to slow traffic.

 

Student response

Justin Schnurer, a freshman majoring in nursing, feels the bump is too large.

“If there has to be a bump in front of (the Human Health Building), it should be that,” Schnurer said.  “A bump. Not a curb with a plateau, followed by another curb.”

Schnurer said he feels the bump has caused damage to vehicles that drive over it.

“It’s honestly more of a hazard than it is a safety measure. It should be removed as soon as possible.”

 

Future plans

The white lines currently painted on the bump will be replaced with yellow, as yellow is the sign for caution, according to Stollsteimer.

But there currently aren’t any plans to repair the scratches and scrapes on the asphalt.

“The scratches in themselves are not something that needs to be repaired, we don’t consider that damage,” Stollsteimer said. “If it cracks and creates potholes, we would fix that right away.”

As far as plans for future speed bumps, Stollsteimer said Facilities Management “will see how the current bump goes for the next year or so.”

“I don’t think Oakland should have more (speed bumps), our pedestrian accidents seem low,” Lennon Turner, a fourth year student studying psychology and philosophy, said.

According to Stollsteimer, students should know, over time, the speed bump is there and slow down.

“I haven’t had any problems with it, it’s just not very attractive and I don’t see it’s purpose,” Turner said.

According to Gordon, speeding on campus is not an issue.

“I think the roadway designs do a pretty good job of keeping it (speed) down,” he said. “The speed limit in many areas is 15, which is already very low and I think we do a good job enforcing the speed limit.”

The cost of the asphalt across the top of the speed bump was between $2,000-3,000, according to Stollsteirmer.

“There was going to be something there, whether it was a speed bump or not,” he said. “This was planned in and part of the job.”

 

Contact Campus Editor Stephanie Preweda via email at [email protected] or follow her on Twitter @stephsocool