Metro derailed for duration

Construction on the Grand Bridge, which began last March, will continue through the fall and spring semesters, and is projected to be partially completed in May of 2012.

“As far as progress, the entire bridge has been torn down at this point,” Supervisor of Transportation Services Joseph Stumpf said. “Nothing is behind schedule at this point and everything seems to be moving along pretty well.”

According the Stumpf, the project was slated to last about 18 months and will probably be finished by September of 2012.

In response to the construction, Saint Louis University made several changes to the shuttle system that runs between the Health Sciences and Frost Campuses.

“We began looking at alternate routes in January 2011,” Stumpf said. “After test runs and several studies, we settled on the route we have now, which uses Compton as our main North-South route.”

Stumpf said the system has not been perfect, but  that the addition of a third shuttle by the University has made it run more smoothly.

“With the increase in student population, there was a greater need for shuttles,” Stumpf said. “The third shuttle was a major benefit given to us by the University.”

To better accommodate the students, Stumpf said that a system has been put in place for the lectures that have a large number of students. All three shuttles will be in place at 10:45 a.m. and run a continuous route to transport the students back to the Busch Student Center in a timely manor.

“SLU has been very proactive with dealing with what the students have needed,” Associate Vice President of Frost Campus Paige Turner said.

Turner said that in response to student needs, the administration has increased classes at the Health Sciences Campus, created a website devoted to the Grand Bridge and formed the Grand Bridge Ad Hoc Committeee, which is comprised of students, faculty and staff.

The Grand Bridge Closure Ad Hoc Committee continued to meet during the summer and conducted the studies that have led to the adaptations concerning the shuttle service and other forms of transportation throughout campus.  The committee has addressed concerns including efficient arrival and longer route service time.

Kripa Sreepada, vice president of diversity and social justice for the Student Government Association and member of the Ad Hoc committee, said she has been impressed with the proactive manor in which the committee has been handling the Grand Bridge Construction concerns.

“From the beginning, this group has worked hard to brain storm every possible complication that would result due to the bridge being down, considering in particular the complications that would be caused for students,” Sreepada said. “Because of this, they were able to prepare all pertinent departments throughout both campuses as to what issues they should expect and asked them to prepare for those issues, and I think that’s why everything has been progressing so smoothly.”

Sreepada said that the committee will continue to heavily monitor the situation in case certain situations concerning transportation arise.

Despite the smooth progress so far, Turner said that the closure of the Grand Metro stop for the duration of the construction was something that needed to be addressed by the city.

“We were informed that the stop would be closed, though it was initially planned to remain open for the duration of the project,” Turner said.

A representative from the Metrolink Information Line confirmed that the stop would be closed during the construction because it was not considered safe to have open while the bridge is under construction. When the station will be reopened remains unknown.

According to a press release on the Metrolink website, however, the company is taking this opportunity to improve the station. Wind and rain shelters will be added to the platform. The station will be closer to the end of the bridge and closer to the Frost Campus. There will be changes in landscaping and lighting, as well as new elevators and stairs.

“The project will be a great asset to SLU,” Turner said. “It will be safer in terms of design, better lighting and will be more visually attractive.”

Transportation Services and the University are responding to feedback while the construction is continuing, but Stumpf said she encourages students to not waste time while getting to classes to ensure that the transportation provided will get them there in a timely manor.

“The project is going well and the SLU community has been very patient,” Stumpf said. “But with anything new that comes about, some adapt better than others.”