The flashing yellow lights blink rhythmically as cars approach the crosswalk. Some creep slowly and others whiz by before pedestrians have a chance to cross their path.
Students dart back and forth without giving the oncoming cars a second thought.
This scenario was the cause of four pedestrian-car accidents on Cascade Avenue in 1996. According to police reports, in other years the incidents have been few and far between. In 1995 there was only one accident on Cascade and two on Main Street. Officials have no real explanation for why there was such an increase in accidents over the year, but that question has some students wondering how to educate others on the danger of the street. A group of six UW-River Falls speech communications class members took it upon themselves to find solutions to the problem.