Disruption to pedestrian and vehicle traffic is expected to be minimal on the CU-Boulder campus over summer despite work on around 50 construction projects.
That聮s the prediction of Lonnie Greim who is project coordinator for a schedule of new and ongoing work valued at around $25 million.
Students and other pedestrians will be most affected by work in Engine Alley, a busy route in the core of the campus between the Ekeley Sciences building and Cristol Chemistry and Biochemistry.
The work, involving improvements to the steam and pedestrian tunnels running between the two buildings and replacement of about 100 feet of sidewalk, is due to start May 15 and finish Aug. 25.
Greim said during this time the sidewalk between the two buildings will be closed and fenced. Students will be re-routed north around Ekeley and south around Sibell Wolle Fine Arts.
Meanwhile, the ongoing $2.5 million renovation of classrooms, laboratories and mechanical systems in the Ekeley east wing has more than a year to run but is not expected to cause any traffic problems.
More significant impact is anticipated in the vicinity of Imig Music, Environmental Design, the power house and the plaza at the foot of the JILA tower which will be "off limits for pedestrians at intermittent periods."
Greim said the major projects in those areas are construction of storm drainage along 18th Street, the replacement of deteriorated oil tanks east of the power house and cleaning of other tanks under JILA plaza.
Some of the work has begun. The alley between Environmental Design and the power plant is already closed and Greim said the alley running east of Environmental Design would be closed until mid-August.
However, the roadway between Environmental Design and Imig Music will remain open. But Greim said users should take care because construction trucks will be coming through, although deliveries will be scheduled for early morning where possible.
About 20 parking lots around the campus are due for resurfacing or other improvements over the summer, though no specific schedule has yet been decided.
Disruption to users during resurfacing will be kept to a minimum, he said. Maps and other information will be sent to those most closely concerned in each area. The work in each lot will generally take two weeks or less.
Elsewhere around campus, said Greim, storm drainage work may cause traffic congestion and re-routing at times while sidewalks are closed for work on free-standing bus shelters at Imig Music, 18th and Colorado, and at the Mathematics Building.
Classroom renovations over the summer also are not expected to create significant problems and neither is the ongoing upgrade of fire alarms and sprinkler systems.