For years Taylor students have created a mud trail between Zondervan Library and the student center.
This summer, the pathway finally became part of the paved sidewalk system that all returning Taylor students can see as they wander from the library to chapel.
Campus tries to get various projects done each summer, and when they are looking at sidewalks, safety is the top priority.
“If we're missing any of the (Americans with Disabilities Act) ramps or anything like that we try to identify those areas,” said Director of Facilities Services, Gregg Holloway. “Any trip hazards we would certainly want to address, any major cracking or other issues that might be of concern from a safety standpoint would always be our first consideration.”
Additionally, facilities services seeks to communicate with various parties to see what campus wants and needs are. Senior leadership looks at these lists of projects and receives input from the student senate and the entire campus.
Holloway said that the university has been aware of the self-made pathway for a few years, but because it was mostly a convenience problem it was not a big enough priority to fit in the budget, until this summer.
Sophomores Jayden Wilhelm and Catie Robbins had nothing but positive reviews of the new sidewalk.
Wilhelm said that it has changed where he skateboards, making the route much more direct, but it has not changed where he walks at all.
“I was not expecting it,” said Robbins. “I think it was great that it was placed here because the students kept killing the grass.”
