Nearly every Carleton student who has ever taken the tunnels has a story about them. Whether it’s January and you’re ducking inside to escape winter’s icy grip or it’s pouring outside and you forgot your umbrella, the tunnels are extremely useful in times of terrible weather. Similarly, almost everyone has fond memories of wearing flip-flops to classes and exams via the tunnels duringwinter in first-year, just because you could.
Everyone uses the tunnels—but just how safe are they? Just last year, Carleton had its own 15 seconds of Internet fame when one person took to the tunnels on their dirt bike. Worse, many incidents of violence have occurred in that labyrinth. There needs to be more monitored camera security footage in the tunnels to help keep Carleton’s community safe, and a greater physical security presence to monitor the tunnels themselves.
The tunnels are a great selling point for Carleton. They make it bearable to go to classes on days where it looks like the sun may never shine again. They provide a convenience for students and staff.
But there needs to be a greater culture of safety promoted and enforced for the tunnels.
According to the Golf Carts in Tunnels Policy, which can be found online, pedestrians and persons using wheelchairs or other assisting devices have the right of way. This needs to remain a priority. Patchy camera networks that only show parts of the tunnels aren’t enough anymore. It’s time to update the tunnel safety.
