Most Cornellians know we experience two seasons on campus: winter and construction. Many of us still cringe while remembering East Ave’s year-long closure and the detours we were forced to take walking to class, driving to the library, or avoiding someone on the sidewalk. The recent construction projects on campus remind us of these dark times and bring on new daily struggles.
Of the various projects occurring around campus, one of the most disruptive is on the Ag Quad. Construction started at the end of last semester, and if it was a bit difficult to maneuver around then, it’s basically impossible now. There are signs that point to Mann, Plant Sciences, and the other surrounding buildings, but beware–you could still be led into a pile of dirt and have to recalculate your internal GPS.
On the bright side, you could use the construction as an excuse to not do work. How can you study if you can’t get even get into the library, right? If, however, you desperately need the scene on third floor Mann to focus, I suggest entering through the parking lot.
Even better, you now have an excuse–other than laziness–to drive to the library instead of walking. But many of us have probably had close encounters with pedestrians who just can’t wait to cross the road (or do so wearing black late at night).
The construction in Collegetown is an added recipe for disaster. Since the project began, confusion has ensued: Is Dryden opened or closed? What exactly is all this construction for? Can two cars really fit down Catherine at the same time? Cornellians may never know. What we do know is the feeling of despair when we see a ‘Road Closed’ sign and have to figure out an alternative route.
Finally, Gannett’s transformation to “Cornell Health” has made trips there somehow even more inconvenient. In case you haven’t had the pleasure of visiting Gannett since being back on campus, the entrance has been moved around the corner to Campus Road, instead of on Ho Plaza. It’s not that much farther, but when you already know you’ll be spending half your afternoon at Gannett, you don’t want to go too far out of your way to get there.
Some might say construction is making our campus look better, and your parents are probably happy to see their tuition money go somewhere. The windy, hilly walks to class are sometimes all we can take, so let’s hope this construction moves a bit faster than the line at CTB.
