On Feb. 23, Elon University President Leo M. Lambert and Scott Saylor, president of the North Carolina Railroad Company, toured the construction site of a new pedestrian tunnel under the railroad tracks on campus. The underpass is expected to open in late April.
The inspection visit was President Lambert’s first opportunity to walk through the underpass, which has been under construction since last August. The underpass will provide a safe route for pedestrians to avoid walking over the tracks as they make their way to the main campus from South Campus and the neighborhoods south of the railroad tracks.
The $2.2 million underpass includes accessibility ramps on either side of the tracks along with stairways down to the tunnel, which is about 15 feet below the tracks. The tunnel is about 12 feet wide and 45 feet long, and will include six security cameras. The project is jointly funded by the North Carolina Railroad Company and the university.
“This will be a great addition to the Elon University campus and improve safety,” Lambert said. “We have hundreds of students who cross the tracks every day, and they will be excited about having a safe way to get from one side to the other.”
Once the underpass is complete, a fence will be erected along the tracks along with signage to encourage the tunnel use. Portions of Lebanon and Trollinger Avenues, which have been closed during construction, will be rebuilt before reopening to traffic in mid-April. Construction on the project has been hampered by poor weather, and is several weeks behind the original schedule.