David Churchill of plant operations says the two-and-a-half-inch high walkways will have 24-inch long ramps on either side. That translates into a minimum of obstruction, he says, adding that clearance tests have been conducted with low-slung Kitchener Transit buses and Corvettes on the test walkway on the service road by Village 11.
In response to the UW community's wishes, walkways will be constructed about a foot away from curbs, so that bicyclists can easily pass, and the walkways (four are planned) will be built near catch basins to avoid ponding and freezing, he says.
"We certainly invite everyone to try out the test walkway. We'd like to incorporate as much input as possible," says Churchill, who invites anyone with questions, suggestions and concerns to contact him at djchurch@mc1adm.
Construction will begin as soon as a paving contractor with a free schedule can be found. Rumple strips, which will serve to warn drivers of newly installed stop signs at major ring road intersections, are expected to be built next week.
In other campus traffic news: A budding poet with a gripe about the removal of crosswalks on campus has papered his verse on poles of the now-obsolete traffic calmers. Here's a snippet of the work, titled "On the Passing of UW's Non-Standard Crosswalks":
The car is King, The Car is King, And we its willing servant. We're glad now we don't have to be of traffic laws observant. We can careen at speeds obscene, so swaying and so swervant. And hear the screams of those we deem pedestrians deservant.How's that for poetic licence. Do you think we might also have a driver's licence? I'm thinking maybe no.
The Grad House is closing tomorrow for maintenance reasons and will reopen September 5. Today is also the last day of summer operation for the Bombshelter. It too will reopen in early September. Federation Hall has been closed for a few weeks now, and, you guessed it, will reopen around Labour day.
Speaking of ill-gotten gold, today's the beginning of Dawson City's Discovery Days, a commemoration of the Klondike gold discovery in 1896. The festival features a parade, raft and canoe races, dances and more.
Horacio Oliveira
Information
and Public Affairs, University of Waterloo
(519) 888-4567 ext. 5719
hmolivei@nh3adm.uwaterloo.ca
Editor: Chris Redmond, credmond@uwaterloo.ca