6A NEWS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2007
CONSTRUCTION
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Panamanians attend a ceremony marking the beginning of the expansion of the Panama Canal on Monday in Paraiso on the outskirts of Panama City.
Panama Canal expansion starts off with a bang
ASSOCIATED PRESS
PANAMA CITY, Panama — Panama blasted away part of a hillside next to the canal on Monday, marking the start of the waterway's biggest expansion since it opened 93 years ago.
In the presence of former President Carter, who signed the 1977 treaty that gave Panama control of the waterway on Dec. 31, 1999, Panamanian President Martin Torrijos celebrated the start of construction on two wider sets of locks being added to both sides of the canal.
"We are witnesses to an exceptional and unique act," Torrijos said after the explosion sent up a curtain of smoke and water.
The $5.25 billion expansion is expected to double the 50-mile canal's capacity and lower the price of consumer goods on the East Coast of the United States by allowing wider vessels to squeeze through with more cargo.
that passed through the canal is headed to or from the United States. China is the Panama Canal's second-largest user.
About two-thirds of the cargo
The waterway now moves 4 percent of the world's cargo. The new locks, approved in a referendum nearly a year ago, should be ready for use between 2014 and 2015.
The Panama Canal Authority, the autonomous government agency that runs the canal, is borrowing up to $2.3 billion between 2009 and 2011 to help finance the project. It expects to pay that back by increasing ship tolls an average of 3.5 percent a year.
In addition to benefiting international trade, the new locks should generate more revenue for the canal and Panama's government, which is struggling to pay back more than $10 billion in debt and battle poverty that affects about 40 percent of the population.
Under Panama's control, canal accidents and the time needed to transverse the canal are down, while revenues have increased.
CAMPUS
Construction causes few problems despite some complaints from crowd
BY THOR NYSTROM
tnystrom@kansan.com
Fans walk through the construction on Campanile Hill before Saturday's game against Central Michigan. The construction obstructed the view from the hill and altered where people can tailgate before games.
The Jayhawks were not the only KU team attempting to execute a game plan Saturday at Memorial Stadium. The Athletics Department had the task of helping 46,815 fans navigate stadium construction.
"I thought it went very well," Associate Athletics Director Jim Marchiony said. "I have not yet heard any complaints from people who attended the game."
Mindy Ricketts/KANSAN
The lower section of Campanile Hill was fenced off, preventing fans from walking into construction zones. At the base of the hill was a large, mesh fence reading "Future Home of KU Football." The Athletics Department funneled foot traffic between construction sites from the hill to the stadium with a stone footpath.
Marchiony said he was happy with activity on the hill before and during the same.
"There were a good number of people up there," Marchiony said. "It looked like there was a lot of room that wasn't used because more people tailgated by the trees to get the shade. I think that bodies well for next week. Now that people have seen how it was used, I think there will be more people on the hill."
The north side of the hill, obstructed by the scoreboard and dirt, was sparsely populated during the game. David Jones, Wichita freshman, and Mark Rigby, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, freshman, watched the game from the top of the hill. They tailgated with their fraternity, Sigma
Phi Epsilon.
"From our spot, the dirt didn't affect us much," Jones said.
Rigby, taking in his first KU football game, said the game day atmosphere was great, despite the construction.
"The dirt definitely isn't fun, but we know it will be worth it in the end with the new facilities," Rigby said.
changes. Ellinwood senior Nicklaus Strecker, whose family has been football season ticketholders for 10
"The dirt definitely isn't fun, but we know it will be worth it in the end with the new facilities."
MARK RIGBY
Cedar Rapids, Iowa, freshman
Not everyone was happy with the
years, said his parking spot was moved from a grass lot on Memorial Stadium's east end to a lot next to Allen Fieldhouse this season.
Strecker said this prevented his family from
Stadium for a $2,500 donation to the Williams Fund.
tailgating.
Marchiony said the Athletics Department was aware that some fans were unhappy that they had to park farther away from the stadium than they had in the past.
"Asking for that money from a student is outrageous." Strecker said.
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"There is nothing that we can do about that," Marchiony said. "The parking is based on the current year's donation level to the Williams Fund, so it is pretty cut and dry who gets the closest spaces to the stadium. That is why we provided free shuttles back and forth to the stadium. There are only x-number of spaces near the Stadium, and that is true everywhere in the country."
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"My folks ended up going to the Alumni Center and spending more money on food and drinks there," Strecker said.
Strecker said he was told while renewing his parking pass that he could ensure a spot next to Memorial
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