New tram shelters delayed
Though the USC Transportation project to construct tram shelters was set for completion by October 2013, the construction has yet to commence.
Gimme shelter · New tram shelters are planned to be completed on the University Park Campus by October 2013. No shelters have been built yet. – Lauren Wong | Daily Trojan
The project, which was announced in April 2012, secured funding to construct shelters along six tram stops to ensure a more comfortable waiting area for passengers, replacing the benches at tram stops in place currently.
Undergraduate Student Government endorsed the project of building tram shelters because it will improve student safety and their transportation options on and around campus.
Nikki Windisch, a freshman majoring in human development and aging, looks forward to the construction of tram stops.
“I thought it was a great idea for USC to build tram shelters because sometimes there are a lot of students standing [on] the sidewalk,” Windisch said. “Some even have to wait [on] the street.”
Director of USC Transportation Anthony Mazza said the university is waiting on approval from the city in order to receive a permit to build these shelters.
“We have experienced delays with the permit process and hope to get through this process soon without any additional delays,” Mazza said.
Clearance from the city is not the only issue that has stood in the way of beginning the construction.
“We’ve also experienced some delays due to electrical issues,” Mazza said. “However, we believe we have a solar solution that will address these issues.”
After city approval is acquired, students will still have to wait in order for the tram construction to go underway.
“Construction would take about six to eight months,” Mazza said.
For now, the project is still aimed for completion as finances have remained in place to fund the construction.
“We fully intend to move forward,” Mazza said. “However, any additional unforeseen construction costs could hamper the project. Since the project is still in the infancy stage, it is hard to anticipate additional hurdles.”