Deaths drive study

Chico State students Nickolas Klein, 21, and Nicholas Castellanos, 18, were both fatally struck by vehicles earlier this year near campus. The deaths prompted the Chico City Council to move forward on a long-term study of traffic in the south campus neighborhood.

In spring, a petition for stop signs to replace yield signs in all residential areas of downtown gathered 1,200 student signatures, and on Aug. 4 the council directed city staff to enlist the help of Chico State classes to conduct the study.

On Tuesday, Nov. 3, the council voted unanimously to approve $50,000 for the first phase of the project, which will include counting the number of cars, bikes and pedestrians that travel through each intersection daily. The study's third and final phase is set for completion by spring 2017, said Brendan Ottoboni, the city's director of engineering.