One step at a time

Putting contrasting stripes on the edge of stair steps across campus can help prevent injuries

A “finally” pat to Dunkin’ for getting my drink right.

From someone with high standards.

A “life-saver” pat to my friend for uncovering Bistro in SSC for me.

From a junior who missed out on short lines and delicious food for two years.

JMU’s campus, in both its geography and climate, is up and down. Just up and down all the time. Anyone who’s walked any stretch of campus is aware of the flows of hills. There are many staircases on campus, like the hellish nightmare the steps outside Godwin are, but these staircases aren’t completely accessible for all members of the JMU community.

According to a poll from The Breeze’s Instagram, when asked, “Have you ever had difficulty on campus (falling, slipping, trouble distinguishing steps, etc.)?” 60% of 63 respondents indicated they had.

Contrasting stripes on staircases would make stairs more accessible for everyone, including people with visual impairments. They can mark the edge of steps to make them more visible, and a cane can bump against them as a person ascends or descends the stairs.

According to Amezz Industrial Structures, one of the leading causes of accidents on stairways is poor visibility. Stairs, at times, can seem to blend together in appearance, especially in low-light conditions. People can misread the edge of a step, which can cause a fall.

An “I’m-walking-here” dart to the person in Dukes Dining who threw trash at me.

From someone who just wanted to pick up their food in peace and doesn’t have time for your shenanigans.

Contrasting stripes can also make steps more slip resistant. The weather in the Shenandoah Valley constantly changes. One week it’s in the 80s, and the next is rainy and in the 50s. When it rains, it can make it harder to see. With the number of hills, things can get slippery.

Having contrasting stripes can not only help when it rains — making the many stairs on campus more slip-resistant — but it also makes the steps more visible, as contrasting stripes also locate the end or beginning of the staircase. Contrasting tape provides higher visibility on steps, which could be beneficial to those with visual impairments, physical disabilities and just the average student who may be traversing the stairs too fast.

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From someone who needed a good start to their Monday.

According to Synergi, a company that specializes in installing and designing stairs, contrasting stripes on stairs can give an effective visual safety trigger, which allows for better cues in both the central and peripheral zones of vision. This also prevents steps from appearing to blend, which creates a dangerous illusion of a ramp.

Campus walkers believe they’d benefit from the placement of contrasting stripes. A poll conducted on The Breeze’s Instagram reported that 77% of 65 respondents voted “Yes,” when asked, “Do you think you would benefit from increased accessibility of stairways including the placement of contrasting stripes at the edge of steps?”

Better visibility on staircases is important. Not only should everyone in the JMU community be able to access campus but campus should also be safe for them to do so. Higher visibility on steps might prevent a misstep on a staircase late at night, distinguishing each step even in the dark. It could also prevent slipping in the early morning when everything is covered in dew. The last thing you want when you’re running to class is to wipe out, run up a flight of slippery steps and skin your knee, wind up late to class or have to take a trip to the University Health Center.

JMU has a large campus that spans across 721 acres. Over 21,000 students attend the university and there’s a large number of staff it takes to run and teach at this institution. Inclusion and accessibility is important for all — this should include contrasting stripes on staircases.

CONTACT Hailey Ruffner at ruffnehl@ dukes.jmu.edu. For more editorials regarding the JMU and Harrisonburg communities, follow the opinion desk on Instagram and Twitter @Breeze_Opinion.