 "Photo: Carolyn Goldstein")
MetroLink has been working late several nights over the last couple of weeks, but restless nights for students close to the construction site should now be over.
Washington University students have become accustomed to MetroLink construction along Forest Park Parkway since late 2002. The construction, slated to finish in October of 2006, has commenced working nights to repave the road.
"Forest Park Parkway is a county road and St. Louis County requires a real durable super pave that is produced only at night," said Cathie Farroll, Project Communications Manager for MetroLink.
Although the work is loud at the worst times, Farroll said there won't be many more nights like this.
"It is the classic example of just-in-time production and delivery," Farroll said. "It is unpleasant, but it's done. There may be a little more of the night work, but not much."
For students living in Lopata House and Millbrook Apartments, the construction has meant many sleepless nights.
"I don't think [night construction is] necessary, because I can't sleep and I go to class every day and I'm really tired," said junior Matt Kaufman, a Lopata House resident. "They work all night long and it's really loud."
Kaufman reported MetroLink construction outside of his residence between 1-6 a.m.
"It keeps up everyone in Lopata and Millbrook," he continued.
Junior Matt Rubin reported waking up at 3:30 a.m. to feel his entire Millbrook Apartment in the basement of Building 3 vibrating from construction.
"Starting at 3:30 in the morning was pretty terrible," said Rubin. "My window is right there and I see all the light from the nighttime construction come in. Whenever they drive the construction equipment around it makes my apartment vibrate."
Rubin's roommate contacted the Washington University Police Department (WUPD) about the noise disturbance. He was told that the construction was outside of WUPD's jurisdiction and his multiple messages with the St. Louis County Police went unreturned.
Rubin noted that the timing of the construction and the fact that MetroLink funds are currently in jeopardy made him uncertain if the efforts were even worth it.
"They're unsure if they're going to have enough money for the project," said Rubin. "Why do they need to do construction? It seems especially unnecessary to me to have to do it at 3:30 in the morning."
MetroLink did receive good news last week concerning their funding situation. St. Louis County Judge Barbara W. Wallace sided with MetroLink in the court action they brought last week.
In the ruling, Wallace declared that funds from Proposition M, which was approved by voters in 1994, were appropriately issued to MetroLink for the purposes of the light rail project.
The Public Transit Accountability Project submitted signatures that would have called for a referendum on the ballot in 2006. The bond issue funds are to be used for MetroLink to fund the extension connecting Forest Park Parkway and Shrewsbury.
"Judge Wallace ruled that the funds from Prop. M are not subject to a referendum," Farroll said. "We can now continue to work without interruption."
