By Christian Bell

News Editor

The passenger walkway to the East Campus, originally scheduled to be opened sometime between Spring Break and early April, has been pushed back but has had a date officially set for its dedication. The passenger bridge will be opened on May 8.

The delay has been caused by a variety of factors.

``We've had a couple of issues that prolonged the construction period,'' said Vice President for Administration, Finance, and Information Services Henry DeVries.

According to DeVries, one of the chief causes of the delay was a need to change the engineering on the expansion joints in the heating and cooling pipes that run above the walkway in the ceiling. The original design of the bridge called for two pairs of expansion joints at the center of the spans. However, it was discovered that that arrangement would not fully accommodate the potential expansion of the pipes. DeVries said the hot water pipes could increase as much as five inches over the 400 foot length. Though it might seem like a small detail, the problem added three to four extra weeks to the construction.

Additional delays have been caused by the installation of an elevator in each tower. At press time, the elevator in the West Tower (near the FAC) was installed but the elevator in the East Tower was not.

Furthermore, DeVries said, ``We decided, after reviewing the extent of nicks, scratches, etc. from completion of the construction, that it would be desirable to repaint the interior structural steel as we painted the overhead utilities. That took about a week.''

``We also have to wait to use the bridge until the fire safety system is in place, a requirement of the state Fire Marshall, and that system is tied into the DeVos building.''

There has also been a delay in receiving the tile for the floor surface of the bridge, and some additional finishing work on the structure such as handrails, security cameras, and safety phones, need to be completed before the structure can be opened.

The delays have caused a slight increase in the overall cost of the project.

``We've had some additional costs,'' DeVries said, ``most of them were related to the need to
provide winter protection: heating, tenting outside over the brickwork, etc., rather than to the delays themselves. There were [also] some additional costs related to the additional expansion loops.''

The construction is being funded by private donations from the DeVos and Prince families, and is not being drawn from tuition or academic funds.

When the walkway is opened, the old path that crossed the Beltline from the Seminary to the parking lot above Theta-Epsilon will be removed.

``We have notified the Michigan Department of Transportation that they can remove the crosswalk signals and the traffic light on the northbound M-37 after June 1,'' DeVries said.

When the walk is opened, however, the college plans to make a special occasion out of the event, including an official ribbon-cutting ceremony which is meant to include the entire campus as Calvin celebrates its ``stepping east by God's grace.''

For the ribbon-cutting ceremony, there will be an outdoor chapel service at the base of the Fine Arts Center tower of the bridge during the regular chapel time on the May 8 - the last day of classes. It will be open to the entire student body as well as special invited guests such as local dignitaries and members of the Board of Trustees.

The service is scheduled to include remarks by Chaplain Cooper and a ribbon-cutting by Presidents Emeritus William Spoelhof and Anthony Diekema, and President Gaylen Byker. It will conclude with a ceremonial walk across the bridge. Refreshments will be served on the East Campus, an official christening of the eastward expansion.