As the Undergraduate Library renovations progress, a fence -- which now claims a chunk of walking space between the Pit and the Undergrad -- was erected Tuesday to allow work on the building's wiring.
The major effect of this new blocked-off area, which will be inaccessible for about a week, is intense congestion in the main artery leading to the Pit and the buildings surrounding it. Especially during class changes and at lunchtime, the traffic of crammed student bodies in front of the Undergrad and Greenlaw Hall can come to a complete standstill.
Leah McGinnis, spokeswoman for the Undergrad project, said the temporary fencing is there to allow construction workers to do telephone cabling work.
McGinnis said that in the center of the blocked area there is a manhole from which workers will be hand-digging and laying cable underground. She said workers originally put up tape to mark off the area, but it was knocked down. While the area has been blocked off since Tuesday, construction did not begin right away because it is dependent on the weather. McGinnis said workers did not start on Wednesday because there was a possibility of rain in the morning.
Meanwhile, students have become irritated with the inconvenience. Sophomore Shannon Shillinglaw said she found herself moving inch by inch through the clogged area. "I thought I was going to pass out today."
She said she might try to avoid this crowded area in the future, but she often forgets until she's there. "Once you're in the gauntlet, you're in the gauntlet," she said.
Sophomore Shonta Rogers also said she found it to be a major hassle. "It's really just out of control," she said. "I'm tired of construction being everywhere I go."
McGinnis said officials are taking efforts to schedule construction inconveniences during non-peak hours but, in some cases, it is not possible. "Doing this work as it becomes necessary allows us to keep the project on schedule, as we're trying very hard to re-open (the Undergrad) by next fall," she said.
McGinnis said there should not be much noise from the work, but noise or not, junior Matt Jones said he is still bothered by the extra hassle. He said his major concern is the unpleasant aesthetics, especially the damage to the plant life nearby.
