The Triangle

Issue date: 2/2/07 Section: News

Media Credit: Dan King Steam line constuction outside of the Kelly residence hall disrupts pedestrian traffic. Displaced students are forced to walk in the street, hindering car traffic Jan. 31.

Over the winter break, the University responded to a leak in the steam lines that supply Kelly Hall, Van Rensselaer Hall and Ross Commons. The old pipes failed in several places and caused steam to escape. An emergency repair has been started to restore the broken pipes.

Steam service should return by Feb. 3. However, the restoration of the sidewalk will be finished when the weather permits.

During the construction, many students opted to walk along Race Street between 33rd and 34th streets with cars following closely behind, since the sidewalks on both sides of the street are now closed. The south sidewalk is closed due to construction of the new dorm building, and the north sidewalk has been excavated during steam pipe replacement. Other students step over the orange fencing and take a shortcut across the work area.

One student who nearly got hit by a car on Race Street was frustrated by the construction.

"It's hard and dangerous enough for me to walk to the North Side Deli," said Allan McDonnell, a freshman resident of North Hall. "I can imagine how the people who live in Kelly and Myers feel."

James Katsaounis, director of communications for Student Life and Administrative Services, stated that the construction project was designed to maintain access to Kelly and Myers halls as much as possible. Warning signs were posted on orange safety barrels by contractors around the site and inside the affected buildings by University Housing.

"Orange security fencing was placed to guide students around the work site and to provide designated walking areas," Katsaounis said.

He encouraged students to use the sidewalks on Powelton Avenue, 33rd Street and 34th Street to avoid the construction if possible.

An e-mail sent to residents Jan. 9 advised them to use caution when walking around the work site. A second e-mail, sent Jan. 23, stated that foot traffic patterns have changed and again advised students to be alert when they walk in the work area.

The project is expected to cost approximately $300,000.

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