Section A • Page 8
The University Daily Kansan
Wednesday, January 24, 2001
Winter weather erodes walkways
Wescoe Hall
Continued from page 1A
"We need to get through the rest of this winter cycle to go out and do our assessment," Riat said. While it is possible to pour concrete in freezing con-
Lindley Hall
pour concrete in freezing conditions. Rial said it prevented damage from fire even curing, or hardening, as much as it should.
However, Riat said a temporary fix would be better than nothing if walkways became especially dangerous in a specific area, even if the concrete would need to be redone again in just a few months.
"If it becomes too hazardous, then we have to address it in some temporary way." Riat said.
Scott noted stairs between Haworth Hall and Facilities Operation Drive in particular. In addition to harboring messy puddles, the stairs are especially scary when they're icy, she said.
Depending on the extent of the damage, facilities operations workers either patch or entirely replace sections of stairs and sidewalks, but the department usually fixes them during the summer, when there is less traffic on campus.
Jennifer Scott, Manhattan senior and KU Ambassador, said she was extra cautious walking backward when giving campus tours but that she noticed several areas with deteriorating stairs while walking — forward — to class.
Additional information for this story was gathered by Reporting II students Sara Bouska, Summer Lewis, Rachel Moluf and Anthony Reyes. The four students traversed campus on foot, recording their findings of crumbling stairs and sidewalks.
A representative from the provost's office was unavailable for comment yesterday afternoon.
- Edited by Sydney Wallace
- Photos by Matt Daugherty
"they're just kind of crumby the whole way down," Scott said. "When it's leck out, it's really bad."
Rait said facilities operations spent between $50,000 and $100,000 every year on repairs to campus steps.
Last year, several sets of stairs were completely replaced, including those behind the Art and Design Building as well as the stairs leading from Naismith Drive to Learned Hall, Riaat said.
— Photos by Matt Daugherty
Kristi Elliott / KANSAN
Crumbling steps and sidewalks
3) Three stairs crumbling on staircase between Blake Hall and Twente Hall.
1) Top two steps gone on one side of sidewalk.
2) Several steps crumbling.
4) Stairs retain water and are especially dangerous when icy.
5) Crumbled stairs leading up to Wescoe Hall.
6) One stone falling apart
7) Crumbling stair between Wescoe and Budig halls.
8) Crumbed stairs leading up to Wescoe Hall.
(1) One stopping start.
(7) Crumbling stair between Wescoe and Budig h
9) The sidewalk from Malott to Budig halls has a crack with about two inches of difference from one side of the crack to the other. Also one stair is eroding.
the crack to the other. Also one stair is eroding.
10) Three out of six steps leading down to Summerfield Hall are falling apart.
11) The first step from stairs leading to the Military Science building is crumbled.
12) The first stair of the main entrance to Lindley Hall is crumbling.
13) Lower set of stairs, three are crumbling.
14) Steps leading to Campanile old and worn with lots of bad edges.
15) Bad edges with lots of wear.
16) Stairs in front of Spooner Hall are crumbling and cracked.
17) Stair crumbled down to metal bar.
Other:
Three patches of sidewalk in front of Miller Scholarship Hall are crumbling
Interested in writing for the Kansan? Come to a correspondent's meeting at 5 p.m. today at room 206 in Stauffer-Flint Hall. Questions? Contact Sara Nutt at 864-4810.