After years of near misses and student complaints, Drake University and the City of Des Moines are taking major steps to improve pedestrian safety along Forest Avenue, where fast traffic and limited crosswalks have long put students at risk.
The project, set to roll out over the next 18 months, will narrow the roadway, add new crosswalks near student parking lots and introduce flashing pedestrian signals similar to those on University Avenue.
Scott Law, Drake’s executive director of public safety and operations, said the changes aim to slow speeding drivers, improve visibility and make it safer for students and visitors to move between campus buildings…