Despite continued patrolling of the fence by police, students and other Charlottesville residents continue to risk tickets and the issuance of a summons as they illegally cut across the railroad tracks to access the Corner from 15th Street.
Lieutenant Steve Upman, public information officer for the Charlottesville Police Department, said he understands the fence is an inconvenience for those who previously relied on crossing the tracks to get to classes and return home.
“While it [the construction] might be difficult, [the] overall effort is one of safety,” Upman said. “What is trying to be accomplished is safety first.”
The first and only targeted enforcement of trespassing so far was conducted by police at the railroad tracks on the night of Nov. 6.
“Ten summons to court were issued [that night],” Upman said. “Over the past year, there have been no other summons issued besides those on Nov. 6.”
Each summons given is for a class 4 misdemeanor. Those found guilty of this charge in the general district court receive a $35 fine, though costs could exceed $100 including legal fees.
Looking to the future, Upman said there may be more targeted enforcement efforts, though this will depend on police staffing.
“If an officer is on normal patrol, they may issue a warning or a summons,” Upman said. “It is a part of normal duty and there are always officers by the Corner, especially on weekends — could be at night or during the day.”
Fourth-year Commerce student Nayan Karanth said he understands the fence’s importance in promoting the safety of the Charlottesville community.
“There are a lot of ways to get injured by crossing the train tracks without being hit by a train, such as rolling your ankle on the tracks [or] face-planting on the metal rails, “ Karanth said. “Healing from these injuries detracts more from your life in terms of time than the time gain you may get from crossing the train tracks.”
Meanwhile, many students see the fence as an intrusion into their daily routine. Third-year College student Jenifer Carter said she believes students gained the right to legally cross the tracks over time.
“Crossing the railroad tracks – which has been an option left open to students for years where students have crossed continuously without issue — seems like a kind of legal easement or prescription,” Carter said. “Students have always crossed the tracks without complaints or lawsuits that I am aware of, so the right to do so seemed to be consistent with the rights of the owner of the tracks or the Virginia government.”
Third-year Commerce student John Studabaker said the fence may ultimately do more harm than good.
“I think it might cause more trouble than it aimed to fix because kids will get hurt trying to climb over the fence when they’re out late at night and intoxicated,” Studabaker said. “I think the fence seems useless.”
The fence has been a central topic of discussion among students since it was installed at the end of October.
“In general, people are initially opposed to change, as it means they will have to adjust their normal course of action,” Karanth said. “However, over time, people adapt — and in 6-12 months’ time, people will forget that this was even an issue. That’s how life works.”
Read More
Leslie Odom Jr. brings Christmas to Charlottesville with a standout holiday performance
By Leila Mohajer | 4 days agoThroughout the performance, Odom breathed new life into familiar tunes with his genre-bending interpretations and dynamic vocal techniques.
Honor Committee, Class Councils offer resources for students during exam season
By Lidia Zur Muhlen and Brandon Kile | 6 days agoEvery semester, the Honor Committee utilizes a portion of its roughly $5 million endowment to fund its finals season initiatives.
University sees increase in fraudulent emails and phishing attempts
By Bertie Azqueta | December 18, 2024Some of these phishing attempts come from @virginia.edu email addresses, making it more challenging for University Outlook users to differentiate fraudulent emails.
