Lawrence will be getting a pretty and functional addition soon. A new land-bridge which will take the place of the former bridge near Downer is currently being constructed.
The land-bridge — which will be ready for the 2008-2009 school year — will be 65 feet wide, about the length of Riverview Lounge. The wide width of the bridge was chosen to provide room for fire engines in the event of an emergency and to make the campus seem more connected.
Project Coordinator of the new campus center Lynn Hagee said that the new bridge is intended to be a “gateway to the rest of campus” since it is being designed as an extension of the surrounding land.
The land-bridge will be lined with blooming trees and other landscaping. Other elements include a stone bench with a donor-chosen quotation on it, a facade that is engraved with the name of the university, wireless lighting and a “walking mall” on John Street that will display more landscaping.
Like the new campus center, the bridge was designed with environmental concerns in mind. Hagee said that she worked with Professors Knutson, Sedlock, Clark and Bjornerud to make the bridge more eco-friendly and that one of Knutson’s environmental studies classes helped to design the bridge. Soil and bricks from Hulburt House will be reused for the project.
The addition of the new land-bridge will serve to eliminate the disconnect between the two “sides” of campus and make the grounds feel like a cohesive area.
Landbridge Construction Commences
