Next semester will be challenging for students who live east of the Wisconsin Avenue bridge, but they say they feel prepared thanks to the university's efforts to keep them informed.

Colleen Trant, a senior and Marquette Student Government senator for the College of Arts & Sciences, said she can anticipate the inconveniences the project will cause.

Trant, who lives in St. James Court Historic Apartments, 831 W. Wisconsin Ave., said she will have to bear the cold, wintry weather, get up earlier for her 8 a.m. classes and walk a little farther on the alternate Clybourn Street route.

"I'm going to be forced to deal with it just by getting up earlier to get to class and probably having to use the LIMOS more," Trant said. "I feel walking at night would be less safe.

"Wisconsin Avenue and the bridge are well lit and there are always a lot of people around," she said. "There won't be a lot of people on the street so I won't feel as comfortable walking on Clybourn, rather than Wisconsin."

As an MUSG senator, Trant said she has remained highly informed about the Interchange project through meetings, focus groups and presentations, and she said she understands that the university is trying to make this inconvenience convenient.

"Time will tell if (the proposed inconveniences) actually happen," she said. People "might complain, but they'll handle it."

Luke Junk, a College of Business Administration sophomore and resident assistant in Straz Tower, said he believes the university has done everything possible and that he is pleased with the university's efforts to keep students informed about the project.

"I don't feel like I'll be taken by surprise when I get back from break when the bridge is missing," said Junk, who said he thinks the university has "made every effort to make it as painless" as possible.

He also commended the university on its efforts to communicate with students.

"I've been really pleased overall with the amount of information that's available to me," said Junk, who was updated via newsletters and other media concerning closures, when construction is going to be happening and noise complaints.

Junk said he would be disappointed with the Marquette TV channels being taken away because of the bridge demolition but understands why it will be necessary.

Britta Gurgel, who is also a Straz Tower resident and a freshman in the College of Health Sciences, found out about the demolition of the bridge when she arrived on campus in August.

"I thought it would be an inconvenience, but recently I decided that I really didn't mind because it's only about a minute-extra walk and they will be providing food," Gurgel said. "It's at a bad time because it is during the winter months, meaning your walk will be longer during coldest months of the year, but it's nothing I can't deal with."

Gurgel said she likes how the city is taking out the bridge while school is not in session and how most of the work will occur during the summer of 2006, also when school is not in session.

One of Gurgel's biggest headaches will be getting up earlier in order to get to class on time, she said.

Commuter students say they will not be as affected.

"It doesn't affect any commuters, really, because the parking structures are all at the other end of campus," said Natasha Eslami, a freshman in the College of Arts & Sciences and commuter from Brookfield, a suburb west of Milwaukee.,”James A. Molnar”

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