6A
NEWS
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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
ACCIDENT
WEDNESDAY,FEBRUARY 11,2009
Weston White/KANSAN
Justin Goff, Baldwin City senior, holds his hand to his head while looking at his crashed Ford Mustang. Goff escaped through the driver's-side window after colliding with a Rueschoff Locksmith employee van at the intersection of 12th and Kentucky streets. The accident occurred around 4:30 p.m. Tuesday. No one suffered serious injuries in the crash.
KU senior involved in rollover
BY ALEXANDRA GARRY
agarry@kansan.com
A KU student was involved in a two-car accident that resulted in a flipped car at about 4:30 p.m. Tuesday.
A red 1997 Mustang belonging to Justin Goff, Baldwin City senior, landed on its roof at the intersection of 12th and Kentucky streets.
Witnesses at the scene said
the driver of a van belonging to Rueschoff Locksmith tried to make a right turn onto 12th Street from the left lane and hit the Mustang.
Goff climbed out of the driver-side window and walked away with minor scratches on his head and arms.
He said he was surprised and pleased his injuries weren't worse.
"Even the medics were like,
I'm surprised everything wasn't
worse," Goff said.
Goff said that both air bags deployed and that he thought he saw smoke but realized later it was dirt from a patch of grass the car hit as it flipped.
"When I realized what happened, I just knew I had to get out," he said.
Both the Mustang and the van were towed from the scene. The van appeared to have only minor damage to the headlight; Goff said
the Mustang was totaled.
Scott Rosell, Wichita senior, saw the accident from his home at the corner of 12th and Kentucky streets and ran to the Mustang to help Goff get out.
Rosell said he was surprised Goff wasn't severely injured.
"The car just flew," Rosell said. "It looked like it was really bad, but he was OK."
- Edited by Jesse Trimble
INTERNATIONAL Human rights organizations condemn civilian deaths COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — At least
16 patients being treated at a makeshift hospital in the northern Sri Lankan war zone were killed by shelling, the Red Cross said Tuesday.
The United Nations, mean- while, said it was outraged by the "unnecessary" deaths of hundreds of people inside rebel territory and urged both sides to avoid
fighting in civilian areas.
International human rights groups say more than 200,000 civilians are believed trapped in the patch of territory still under rebel control.
French president praises Irag during his first visit
The French leader, who met later with Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, praised Iraq for dramatic improvements in security, including provincial elections held last month without major bloodshed.
BAGHDAD — President Nicolas Sarkozy paid the first visit to Iraq by a French head of state Tuesday, smoothing over lingering resentment about France's opposition to the war and positioning his country to cash in on lucrative arms and oil deals.
Associated Press
BY MIKE BONTRAGER
mbontrager@kansan.com
Committee plans to discuss buses
Gagnon said he was satisfied with the bus system overall, especially compared to the time he spent in Chicago where it could take 45 minutes to board a bus.
Students can participate in open meeting
TRANSPORTATION
The Public Transit Advisory Committee is looking for student input on coordinating the Lawrence Transit system and KU on Wheels. The committee will hold an open meeting from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. today in the Courtside room in the Burge Union for students to voice concerns and give suggestions on how the bus system could better serve them.
Matthew Gagnon, Hutchinson senior, said his main concern with the bus system was the amount of empty buses he saw around campus.
"I just saw the visitor bus go by and I wondered. 'How many times does that get filled?' you know?" Gagnon said. "Is that really a necessary bus?!"
Tom Braddock, assistant transportation planner with Olsson Associates, will attend the meeting today to listen to student feedback.
Since the sales tax passed last year, said Casey Toomay, budget manager and interim transit administrator, the city has promised to work to coordinate the Lawrence Transit system with KU on Wheels to better serve the community. The city hired Olsson Associates this year to coordinate route and schedule design.
"Students are full stakeholders in this process." Braddock said.
The city has already planned some changes for the transit system. Braddock said small chang-
take place at the beginning of the Fall 2010 semester.
A recent survey of 111 Lawrence residents ranked the priorities of coordinating the transit system. The top three areas were efficient service, frequent service and accessibility.
Major changes such as adding more stops around town and increasing bus frequency will
The city has promised to work to coordinate the Lawrence Transit system with KU on Wheels to better serve the community.
Gina Herrera, Dallas junior,
Efficiency and accessibility are the main concerns for Andrew Rossell, Lansing freshman.
Luke Tuner, Topeka senior.
Rossell suggested having free movies on buses as an improvement.
**WHAT:** Public Transit Advisory Committee meeting to coordinate KU on Wheels with the Lawrence Transit system
**WHO:** Students concerned with improving the bus system to fit their needs
**WHERE:** The Burge Union, Courtside room
She said it was also important to hear from non-riders because the goal of the project was to entice more people to use the bus system.
uses the Park and Ride system. He said he had problems with full buses but said the frequency of buses made it manageable.
WHEN: 1 p.m. - 3 p.m.
WHY: Student input is vital to coordinating the Lawrence Transit system with KU on Wheels. Riders can give their perspectives on the current bus system and non-riders can give suggestions for accommodating more riders into the program.
said she was concerned about the amount of pollution the buses produced, but she said the buses might actually be helping to cut down emissions.
Toomay said cutting down on environmental damage and becoming more economically efficient were vital to making an effective transit system for Lawrence.
Braddock said more than 30 meetings with different community groups were scheduled this week to gain perspective on what people wanted in a transit system.
Toomay stressed the importance of feedback from students and others who used the bus system.
"It's a lot better than people driving on campus in their individual cars,"
Herrera said.
Edited by Brandy Entsminger
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