The out of service escalator in the Thad Cochran Center is expected to be completed by the end of March. However, the length of time that the project took has left students feeling confused about the timelines of the repairs.
Escalators typically have a lifespan of about 20 to 25 years. According to USM’s Physical Plant, the escalator that is being replaced had reached its life expectancy. This resulted in maintenance on the escalator becoming increasingly difficult as smaller parts that were needed to fix minor breakdowns were extremely hard to find. After being informed that future breakdowns could result in a permanent breakdown of the escalator, the Physical Plant and the Union Department decided to move forward with the replacement.
While this project is being done for the benefit of students and others on campus, some people feel that the project has created frustration when having to use the exit that the escalator leads down to.
“It’s made traffic going down bad since we are all waiting on the elevator now. There’s a lot of tours going on right now too, so that has added to the traffic,” said student Lillian Rochelle. “I am glad that they are addressing the issues with the escalator, though.”
Rochelle added that she has concerns about if and when they will be replacing other escalators.
“I worry that if that they wait until the summer to start the next one, we will then have to worry about tons of people traveling around campus during football season plus the escalator not being able to be used,” said Rochelle.
Once the current project is completed, students can expect it to be put in service to carry people up to the first floor of the Thad. The other side of the escalator’s installation will take around 15-16 weeks.
For the other escalators on campus, the evaluation for if they need to be replaced will happen after the current project is done.
Though some students have had their commutes affected by the escalator’s replacement, some students were unaware that the escalator was being replaced.
“I rarely use the escalator since I usually only need to be on the first floor if I am in the Thad. I honestly didn’t even know it was happening,” said student John Miller. “I am glad to see that the University is taking care to make sure things around here are working correctly and smoothly.”
With the project still ongoing, the Physical Plant and Union Department urge students to use caution and pay attention to the signage around the escalator.
