Features Editor- Eric Hofer
Each year, more and more students run late to class. A student who shows up to class five minutes early in their freshman year may end up getting to class five minutes late by their senior year. Professors have had enough and decided to unite together to put a stop to it by replacing the current cement sidewalks with moving sidewalks, also known as travelators.
Moving sidewalks are relatively common in airports and, to a lesser extent, malls. While the main goal of having these installed in airports is to aid those carrying heavy luggage, at Gustavus, the hope is that students can get to class earlier and reduce congestion, particularly near Christ Chapel and Campus Center. Not every sidewalk has been replaced, most notably the small deviations from the main path to buildings’ entrances. However, the vast majority of sidewalks have had this modern overhaul.
“It’s been a long time in the works,” one professor noted, “Running a minute or two late to class isn’t a big deal; it’s been going on for ages. But recently things have gotten out of hand. One of my students even came to class twelve minutes late with a smoothie. I feel like if you had time to get a smoothie, you had time to get to class on time. Can’t blame her, though, it looked really good.”
To maintain the flow of traffic, the College has issued a new rule stating that you must walk on the right side of the travelator. Those found in violation of this rule may see their moving sidewalk privileges revoked, meaning that they will be required to walk on the grass, regardless of weather conditions. Starting in the fall semester, the college will be selling Gold Travelator passes, which give you access to priority lanes. Not much is known about these lanes besides being exclusive to those with passes and being a ‘much quicker’ speed than standard lanes.
Despite the benefits of these new sidewalks, there are a few drawbacks. The most notable, perhaps, being the loss of the tunnels. Due to the massive infrastructure required to operate these travelators, the tunnels have been permanently closed to house the supplies necessary.
Others have voiced concerns over them being outdoors. One major concern is the upkeep of the travelators, as the elements slowly wear them down. Snow and rain can lead to electrical issues, rust may require frequent replacement and repair of parts, and gravel or sand getting in could cause component failure. Additionally, during the winter months, there is a likelihood of them freezing over, leading to more severe tripping hazards than traditional concrete sidewalks.
“I hear these concerns, but I think they’ve been somewhat overblown,” another professor said, “The travelators will always be moving, so, according to thermodynamics, the ice should never actually freeze over. And if it does, it’d just make the travelators even faster.”
The supporters of this overhaul have cited many points beyond getting students to class quicker, one major advantage being making the campus more accessible to those with mobility impairments. Instead of having someone in a wheelchair struggle to push themselves uphill, now they can simply sit and enjoy the scenery.
“I remember my sophomore year when I lived in Rundstrom, I broke my leg,” one student athlete recounted, “Every morning as soon as I reached the top of the hill, I would slide all the way back down to the bottom and have to do it all over again, sometimes twice. I really wish we had these moving sidewalks back then.”
“I do understand that it’s a bit strange on the surface, but when you think about it, it just makes sense,” the mastermind behind this initiative said. “When I went on vacation to the MSP Airport, I was really taken aback. I had never seen anything quite like it before. I was so enthralled that I just spent a few hours on the travelators going back and forth. That was the best vacation I ever had and ever will have.”
While the rollout has generally been successful, it’s not without its issues. During Chapel Break, as students rushed from their classes to Christ Chapel and the Dining Hall, a few minor pileups occurred, with some students being hesitant to step onto the moving sidewalks. This led to a small domino effect, leading to several students falling on each other, eventually stopping traffic completely. Some students who were already acclimated to the travelators were afraid to step on the grass. Campus Safety eventually came out and brushed the students off the sidewalk with a big broom.
“There’s always some growing pains for such a large overhaul,” a Campus Safety representative said, “In the meantime, we ask that when boarding the moving sidewalk, step on and off with confidence. If you see a pileup, you can go on the grass to get around it.”
Administration has expressed excitement for this new initiative and has hinted that if the campus is receptive and the travelators are a success, they may consider implementing similar systems. One idea that was brought up was the possibility of installing cannons to safely and quickly launch students from building to building.