Krystal Geeson
Staff Writer
Idaho State University’s historic “I” on Red Hill is planned for removal this spring.
After observing the erosion under the “I,” a series of three studies were done that estimated 50 percent of the “I” was compromised from erosion.
The trails under the “I” have been closed since early last semester and will remain closed through the remainder of the school year.
The plan for Red Hill is for the “I” to be taken down and a berm to be built between the upper path and the hillside, according to a press release from the university. It would be a preventive measure to stop anything that falls from going further down the hill. The goal is to have the contractor complete the project by the end of the current semester.
Some students are saddened by the news of the removal of the “I”.
Students also expressed concerns over not having access to the trails.
“It was good to see the ‘I’ there. It is sad to hear that [it will be gone] because it is very representative of Idaho,” said junior Sameer Maharjan.
“[It is] the perfect place for a symbol for ISU,” said Maharjan.
Geology Professor Glenn Thackray hoped the project will be done in a timely manner.
He expressed urgency and said he hoped ISU “get[s] the hazard taken care of and the trail reopened.”
His concern was the bike and pedestrian traffic being pushed to the streets.
“Our biggest concern was the ‘I’ falling or rocks coming out of the hillside,” said Phil Moessner, associate vice president of facilities services.
The engineers who surveyed Red Hill could not determine the size of the boulders protruding out or the extent to which they are still in the hill.
A series of models were evaluated to determine the damage of any falling debris and the odds of it getting to the road.
“They recommended we close the path for safety but didn’t think we needed to close it all the way down to the road,” said Moessner.
Alternate trails do exist for those interested in continuing their outdoor pursuits.
“The biggest imposition is on the joggers and bicyclists who like to use the path, and we have been very hesitant to close it in the first place because we knew it would be an imposition to those folks, said Moessner. “We’ve tried to provide an alternate path for them to come through to be able to get from one side of the closure section to the other. It’s not as intuitively obvious as it could be, but there is an alternate route.”
“The biggest issue at this point really is the erosion on the hill and it’s also the root cause on what is causing the ‘I’ to fail. The ‘I’ was not designed to support its own weight,” Moessner continued.
For those who have become accustomed to seeing the “I” on Red Hill all of these years, the thought of it being gone is one that is hard to fathom.
“That’s very unfortunate. I’ve been looking at that my whole life, so it’ll be sad to see it gone,” said Andie Staples, a freshman at ISU and a native of Pocatello.
The feeling is a similar one for students who have come to ISU from other areas.
“I think of the ‘I’ as the face of Idaho State,” said junior Hannah Matsen.
She recalled it being the first thing she noticed upon arriving on campus.
Fortunately for those that are disappointed to the see one of the main landmarks of ISU taken away, an effort is being put forward to ensure that a new one is back on the hill.
A committee was formed to plan for the replacement of the “I”.
“We could probably put something back on the hillside but not in the exact same location. The intent is to hold some sort of fundraising campaign to pay for the replacement,” said Moessner
The committee will look at ideas for a replacement later in March.
Those with suggestions for replacing the “I” are encouraged to e-mail ideas to ude.usinull@tcejorpllihder.
