Ongoing construction on campus has concern UConn commuters. The project covers roughly 500-acre surrounding west and north intersection of Routes 195 and 44 in northern Mansfield. Photo by Jamie Street on Unsplash
Some commuting students at the University of Connecticut have expressed concerns over ongoing construction close to the entrance of the Storrs campus.
The works are part of the Four Corners Sanitary Sewer Project, according to Derek Dilaj, the town’s Acting Director of Public Works. The project involves developing public sewer and water systems to remediate environmental issues, including groundwater contamination, and to provide clean drinking water and safe sewage disposal, according to Mansfield’s website.
The project covers the roughly 500-acre area surrounding and extending north and west of the intersection of Routes 195 and 44 in northern Mansfield.
“We’re currently in the final stages of the project and are on track to finish by the end of October, as 90% of the pipes are in,” Dilaj said.
The road works have caused one-way traffic, resulting in delays for up to 10 minutes in the mornings.
“The traffic usually makes me late for class, which is a big inconvenience, because attendance is part of my grade, and I’m sure I don’t speak for myself only,” Dei Foster, a first-semester fine arts major and commuter on the CT Transit 913 Storrs Express bus, said.
Construction on the project lasts daily from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., a timeframe approved by the Department of Transportation. It began in May.
In conjunction with UConn, the Department of Public Works has provided commuters with alternate routes to avoid the hold ups at the intersection of Routes 44 and 195.
“UConn proposed alternate routes to minimize the impact of the project, and we have designated flaggers, workers and the state police to ensure the smooth flow of traffic and minimizing student and staff commute,” Dilaj said.
Nicholas Martin is a campus correspondent for The Daily Campus. He can be reached via email at nicholas.r.martin@uconn.edu
