Students trying to get to class no longer have to worry aboutlosing their balance while trudging up and down the crumblingstairs and eroded hillside by the railroad tracks on SouthernAvenue.
The aged, dilapidated cement stairs located along SouthernAvenue, across from the campus parking lot, have been replaced bynew cement steps with metal hand railings. Because of the badcondition of the old stairs, students often climbed the hill tocross the railroad tracks, sometimes stumbling or falling in theprocess.
"I'm glad the stairs are there, because I might slip down thehill and get hit by a car," said David Potter, a seniorcommunications major.
These improvements have been on the Physical Plant and Planningdepartment's to-do list for many years.
According to Campus Landscaping Architect Ken Mulvany, this isthe first step in a long series of proposed projects to furtherimprove pedestrian accessibility across the railroad, according toa long-term growth plan in the Campus Master Plan. A long-termproposal for the future is to eventually have an overhead walkwayas a means to increase safety and keep from dealing with thetrains.
"The primary goal right now is to alleviate the eye sore andprovide safer access across the railroad," Mulvany said.
The steps there now serve the purpose of allowing access fromthe Southern parking lot and recreational center across therailroad tracks.
Tony Poteet, assistant vice president for campus planning anddesign, said there will be a no parking zone about 20 feet long,located at the bottom of each staircase. Students will still beable to park along Southern Avenue, Poteet said.
"There will be a few parking spaces lost," said Poteet, "but itis worth it for pedestrians' safety."
The next step would be to provide a decorative safety fence,similar to the black metal fence around the Wilson Hotel onCentral, to channel pedestrian access to appropriate locations. ThePhysical Plant and Planning Departments also plan to landscapeacross the embankment to dress up the area.
"We would like to plant small trees and build ornamental fencingat the top, so that traffic is steered toward the stairs," Poteetsaid. "The plan is to keep students using the stairs instead ofgoing up and down the bank, to avoid erosion."
Drew Schmitz, communications specialist with the Physical Plant,said the project has been in the planning stages for some time.
"Everything had to be thought out and planned because we had tokeep a good relationship with the railroad," he said.
Many people don't realize that all the land beside the railroadis private property owned by the railroad company and TheUniversity of Memphis cannot do work on that land withoutpermission.
Pedestrian crossings are controlled by the railroad company. TheUniversity of Memphis's architects can't put crossings whereverthey want. All crossings have to be reviewed and approved by therailroad company for safety and liability reasons. The railroadcompany has a 100 feet right of way (50 ft. on each side of thetracks).
A source in The University of Memphis legal department said TheUniversity had been talking to the railroad company for a long timeabout that project. The University finally got permission afterproposing that the Department of Physical Plant and Planning woulddo all the work if the state would pay for the buildingmaterials.
"The stairs have been there for ages and conditions had gottenso bad," said Poteet, "that we had to take action."
The cement stairs were originally installed after World War IIto facilitate the unloading of freight cars stopped along SouthernAvenue. Workers would lift supplies from the railroad cars andtransport them to the old veterans hospital that was located atPark and Getwell, which is now the South Campus of The U of M, saidPoteet.
Dick Fadgen, physical education instructor, said he is happyabout the improvements and hopes they go further down the railroadwith more stairs.
"I think it's great," he said. "They've needed to do that foryears."
Schmitz of Physical Plant and Planning said his department washappy to finally see the project become reality.
"This project was a long time coming," said Schmitz.
There were many washes near the stairs and at various places onthe hill that people were using to get back and forth. Schmitz saidcollege students aren't the only ones who use the steps. Manyelementary school kids, children at basketball camps andneighborhood residents use the steps to cross the railroad atSouthern. The washes have been filled in with soil and compacted toprevent people from using them.
"We basically rebuilt the hills," Schmitz said.
Safety is the primary concern and aesthetics come second,officials said.
Amber Ragland, senior French major, said she thinks the newsteps are a great idea.
"I've been using the stairs - they make it a lot easier," shesaid. "I used to walk through the washes."
Ragland said the washes were slippery but luckily she neverfell. However, Poteet said he remembered someone who had to receivemedical attention after falling down the hill.
U of M graduate Jennifer Cheston said the improvements wereimportant, because the Southern parking lot is one of TheUniversity's main lots.
"Students carry heavy books - the hill is so steep - and the oldstaircases were so far apart that it was hard to maneuver up anddown the hill," Cheston said. "When it is raining, it makes it evenmore of a challenge."
Ragland said she didn't realize the railroad was responsible formaintaining the area around the tracks.
"I thought it was just university negligence," she said.
Abby Murley, a sophomore nursing major, said the repairs willprevent future injuries.
"Students will no longer risk falling down the hill," Murleysaid.
