Vincent Gragnani, Editor in Chief
Bill Burger & Alison Norris Managing Editors
Jeffrey White, Copy Editor
Tom Vu, Opinion Editor
Lauren I. Coartney, News Editor
Robert Fulton, Sports Editor
David Pilz, Photo Editor
Everyone says public transportation is great, but few at UCSD actually use it, mainly because it is not convenient enough.
Last Thursday, the Metropolitan Transit Development Board of San Diego met with campus representatives to discuss possible locations for trolley stops at UCSD.
We believe one or more trolley stops on campus, as part of the Mid-Coast Corridor Alignment, have the potential to be invaluable transportation resources, provided they are located conveniently enough for people to actually use them.
For this reason, we cannot support any plan that would not include a stop near what is now central campus, the area surrounding the Price Center and Library Walk.
A trolley stop at this location would be especially convenient for the faculty and undergraduate population living off campus, as it would be close to the major lecture halls in all five — soon to be six — colleges.
Several of the proposed plans would include a stop at the VA Medical Center instead of central campus. Although this stop would be significantly closer to central campus than the East campus options, it is still not close enough. A walk from there to Peterson Hall, Warren Lecture Hall or the new Eleanor Roosevelt campus would be too long for many students and faculty even to consider using the trolley.
The Guardian does feel that a stop in East campus would be of great use for those of the UCSD community who have business on that side of campus, but we feel that any stop in that area, or any other, must be in addition to a stop in central campus.
A stop in East campus alone would force many people to take shuttles to central campus, which would be less convenient than just parking a car in East Parking and taking a shuttle to central campus. Waiting for a trolley to get to East campus, then waiting for a shuttle to get to the Price Center, is just too much waiting for most of us.
We at the Guardian understand the financial burden of constructing a stop in central campus may be heavy, considering the amount of development surrounding it. However, we also know that it would be a total waste of money if the trolley were not used.
The Guardian editorial board supports all forms of alternative transportation that would save the UCSD community money, alleviate the impacted on-campus parking situation, and reduce traffic and pollution in the area.
However, we do not believe these needs will be sufficiently served by the trolley without a convenient and centrally located stop that serves the students as well as the rest of the UCSD community.
