When I first toured Quinnipiac I was overwhelmed by the brick everywhere — academic buildings, dorms, even walkways. In my dorm, Mountainview Residence Hall, there is lots of exposed brick in the hallways and an entire courtyard paved with them, including brick outdoor tables. On the Mount Carmel Campus Quad, bricks form pathways that intersect and lead to each of the buildings.
Over time, the bricks have grown on me aesthetically, but they leave much to be desired in terms of practicality. Firstly, the pathway bricks break all the time. They crack, chip and deteriorate under the feet, scooters, skateboards and roller backpacks of thousands of students and faculty.
Because of this, I constantly see maintenance workers out redoing the bricks, especially near the Bobcat Den (known as The Rat) and the Recreation and Wellness center. Over Thanksgiving break, they redid an entire section of the path outside of the School of Business, taking advantage of the fact that the quad was deserted.
The brick crosswalks on Bobcat Way are faring especially poorly because they get driven over by cars. The limited parking spaces in Bobcat Way also got new signs that reminded cars not to loiter, and that installation required the brick to be ripped up intentionally. There were an obnoxious amount of signs that were blocking the sidewalks so they got pulled up and moved before disappearing again like a bad magic trick. Now there are small potholes on the sidewalk and it remains to be seen if the signs will reappear as the weather warms up.
Aside from the constant repairs, brick is even more problematic because it’s inaccessible for people with mobility issues and wheelchair users. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Sidewalk Requirements state that sidewalks should be paved with “smooth, durable material.” If brick is uneven or broken, it creates a tripping hazard (I myself almost wiped out in front of Echlin Center last week), wheels can get caught in them, and even intact brick causes wheelchair vibrations which travel up through the person’s body when wheels go over bumpy surfaces. Concerningly, wheelchair vibrations can cause neck and back pain, spasticity and pressure injuries.
It certainly begs the question: do the pathway bricks need to be replaced with something more durable and safe? Should Quinnipiac’s construction in general be focused on what is broken rather than trying to add new features to draw in prospective students (such as The Grove and the new School of Business)?
Next time you’re out on campus I urge you to pay attention to the surface you’re walking on and its many implications.
