TR Campus overflow parking, which had required students to walk up Mills, Peach and Henderson streets to get to the campus, now has a walkway leading directly to Main Street’s west entrance.
David Reid/The Collegian
A group of administrators talking about issues students might have on TR Campus started the project last summer, said director of public relations and marketing Frank Griffis. The project cost $297,000 altogether, making a walkway spanning 2,332 feet.
The walkway has cut what was a 10-minute walk, according to Google Maps, to about five minutes, and students like Susan Vanhorn appreciate it.
“It’s nice. It’s convenient to do it,” Vanhorn said. “You don’t have to worry about traffic. It seems like a short distance.”
Fellow student Valerie Valtierra agreed.
“I like it,” Valtierra said. “I think it gives some students the chance to walk a little more than they usually do.”
The walkway isn’t perfect, however. The stairs on part of the walkway are at least two average steps long, having students make a limping motion to navigate them.
“It would be better if the stairs weren’t awkwardly long,” said student Scott Dunsworth.
Student Mark Baerd said the walkway could be straighter, but it is necessary.
“I wouldn’t mind walking so far if it was a straight line,” Baerd said, “[but] we needed a sidewalk from the overflow parking.”
—Joshua Knopp
