Student Government Prepares To Lobby City of Tyler For Millions of Dollars In New Sidewalks

(Source: Marc Verch via Flickr)

The Student Government Association (SGA) at UT Tyler's members showed near unanimous support tonight for a possible effort by UT-Tyler to lobby the City of Tyler to construct new sidewalks in nearby neighborhoods.

The proposal would ask the City of Tyler to spend its own money to construct new sidewalks so that students who live near campus can walk to campus without having to walk in the street.

"The challenge is that we have found that we have 227 of your colleagues who live in that area north and west of campus, between Fifth Street, Varsity, the Loop and Old Omen and that is not UT-Tyler property," Vice President for Operations and Strategic Initiatives Jerry Stuff told SGA Wednesday.

Target region in Jerry Stuff's speech to SGA for new City of Tyler sidewalk construction. (Source: Google Maps)

"What we’re seeking is sidewalks that would be constructed by the city in that region so that our colleagues, our fellow students who live in that area, have a way to actually walk from their homes to campus without walking in the streets," he said.

"I would like to know if any of you have a desire to work with me in advocating with the City of Tyler to encourage them to spend city dollars to create some viable sidewalks so our colleagues can walk to campus safely," Stuff told SGA.

THE PROPOSAL

Stuff floated that he could see his request being to ask the City to lay claim to its 10 to 15 feet of right of way on private residences along public roads to construct the new sidewalks.

As for the cost to the City, Stuff said the University has neither costs or routes drawn up for the proposal yet, but mentioned that the price that UT-Tyler is paying for new sidewalks around campus is "in the millions" of dollars.

"It is not inexpensive," he said, speaking about what the City might have to pay, but noted that city sidewalks will likely be smaller what the University is constructing, which are about 10 feet wide. The city sidewalks will likely be only five feet wide, he said.

But referencing Justin Bartie, the UT-Tyler student who was seriously injured in 2017 after being struck by a vehicle on Old Omen Road while he walking in the bike lane, Stuff said student safety is worth the price.

"One person's livelihood forever altered? I don't think you can put a dollar sign on that," he said.

STUDENT GOVERNMENT REACTION

Multiple senators voiced enthusiastic support for joining Stuff's advocacy effort and responded to his invitation to accompany him to meetings with the City.

"The more voices that we take along to city hall to advocate has a great impression on them," he said.

Toward the end of the meeting, the student government formally asked President Savannah Seely to create an ad hoc committee that has advocating for the City of Tyler to construct new sidewalks for students as its sole focus.

Stuff said he will likely begin talks with city officials next week.

Twitter: @jhescock

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