The construction site of the new recreation center. The construction on North Eagleville Road, which runs on the north end of campus, will remain closed until the end of December. (Zhelun Lang/The Daily Campus)
The University of Connecticut currently predicts that traffic restrictions now in place on North Eagleville Road at UConn’s Storrs campus will continue through the end of December, according to a university spokesperson.
UConn spokesperson Stephanie Reitz said in a June 26 email that the university projects that drivers will not be able to enter North Eagleville Road from Route 195.
“If that changes, we will let people know as soon as possible. For now, though, people should operate on that assumption when making their plans to drive to campus,” Reitz said in the email.
According to a UConn Today article, the restrictions are in effect to allow the university to replace utility lines along North Eagleville Road.
The article outlines the alternative routes that drivers can take to reach campus.
“Drivers on Route 195 or coming off Gurleyville Road can enter campus via Bolton, Mansfield or South Eagleville roads. Drivers heading to central campus from the north and west should use Discovery Drive off Route 44; or can take Route 195 to Bolton, Mansfield or South Eagleville roads,” the article said.
The article also describes the alternate route which drivers can take to access locations on North Eagleville Road. It explains how drivers should exit from these locations as well.
“Those heading to buildings and property on North Eagleville Road—including university offices, the various houses of worship there, and the cemetery—can enter eastbound North Eagleville at the intersection near the North Parking Garage,” the article said. “However, people exiting those properties must leave via the eastbound lane to Route 195, as there is no westbound traffic allowed.”
Reitz said in the email that a collection of individuals from multiple university offices frequently has conversations about how to ensure that fall move-in goes off without a hitch amidst the restrictions.
“A group of people from several offices (residential life, public safety, communications, transportation and others) is meeting regularly to discuss ways to make the fall move-in period run smoothly,” Reitz said in the email. “That includes a lot of advance planning for the logistics of getting vehicles in and out of the areas closest to the construction, finding effective ways to spread the word, and so forth. Much more information will be coming out as those plans are ready to be widely shared.”
According to the article, when fall semester begins, drivers will again be able to use each lane of North Eagleville Road from Discovery Drive to the North Residence Halls. The rest of the road will remain one-way eastbound through the end of December, the article said.
The article said that pedestrians can access sidewalks while the work takes place. Some restrictions contingent upon the work’s current phase exist on the direction sidewalks go, according to the article.
“Sidewalks will remain open for pedestrians throughout the work, although whether they are the north or south sidewalks will depend on the stage of construction at the time,” the article said.
The construction on North Eagleville Road is going to make the fall semester – forgive my strong language – a real humdinger.
— Tom Breen (@TJBreen) June 30, 2017
Reitz said in the email that the work along North Eagleville Road has progressed well so far this summer.
“We’ve had the benefit of nice weather, and even the occasional rain hasn’t posed a problem to the schedule. We haven’t faced any major complications or issues,” Reitz said in the email.
According to the article, the work along North Eagleville Road furthers the university’s $49 million multi-year project to replace aging utility lines (such as sewer and water lines, as well as lines that provide steam to warm buildings) and electrical duct banks. The project began last summer, the article said.
The article said that Next Generation Connecticut funding enabled the university to move forward with long-needed major infrastructure improvements, such as this summer’s work along North Eagleville Road. In the Next Generation Connecticut improvement program, the Connecticut General Assembly earmarked $1.5 billion over 10 years to enhance UConn facilities as the university extends its research and education in STEM disciplines, according to the article.
Reitz said in the email that drivers appear to have adapted to the restrictions.
“While these kinds of projects are definitely inconvenient for drivers, it seems that people understand that they’re temporary and that the long-term benefits will outweigh the short-term inconveniences,” Reitz said in the email. “We’ve also been working with the churches and others along the road to help highlight the entrances to their buildings.”
Alexandra Retter is the associate news editor for The Daily Campus. She can be reached via email at alexandra.retter@uconn.edu.
