Nearly 20 streetlights line West Haggard Avenue between Manning and Williamson Avenues; however only two to three light fixtures appear to be functioning properly on a nightly basis.

On some nights, as many as 17 lights are not working—raising some significant public safety issues for students walking in the dark.

Benjamin Pula, a public administration major at Elon is shocked that work tickets—requests to the town for proper maintenance—have been ignored.

“After multiple calls to the town’s public works department over the years, this emanating work ticket seems to go by the wayside, with no progressive outcome,” Pula said. “This issue is one that should be on top of the pile of work tickets, and corrected in a timely fashion to protect the life safety of the pedestrians among us.”

However, Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students, Smith Jackson, feels confident that the issue is already in the process of being addressed.

“The town was notified [as of January 29th] of this situation, and we expect the lights to be repaired soon,” Jackson said.

According to Jackson, the Town of Elon is responsible for maintaining the lighting along West Haggard Avenue. After speaking with the Town Manager, Mike Dula, Jackson said, “Mr. Dula indicated the town will go and check out the light concerns that [were] raised.”

While Elon provides free transportation services to avoid students having to walk home at night—such as E-Rides and Safe Rides—the services, according to many students, are not always reliable alternatives. Campus Security denied Lindsey Burton, a Campus Rec employee, a ride to work early one morning by because she lived at the Crest.

“At 5:25 a.m., in the pitch black freezing cold, I had to walk from the Crest to Danielely just so Campus Security would pick me up,” Burton said.

For students like Burton, the poorly lit street is sometimes the only way to travel. Alex Hostetter, a junior living in Oak Hill, admits she worries when she has to walk the dark streets home.

Hostetter said, “I feel very unsafe, and feel for the saftey of all Elon students lights should be immediately installed.”

Reporter: Colleen O'Brien - 02/08/07