by Joe King
Those who regularly travel on and around Gilbert Drive might want to begin scouting for alternate routes to use this spring and summer.
Beginning April 21, crews will start tearing up roads and sidewalk in that vicinity to install chilled water lines and rebuild Gilbert Drive. Work is scheduled for completion by the start of the fall semester.
The chilled water lines are being installed as part of the creation of a large-scale chilled water cooling system that utilizes cold water for air conditioning instead of ozone depleting chemicals. The system will prove more efficient and less expensive to operate when it comes on line in 2005.
Work to install the water lines is scheduled to begin April 21. The work will disrupt foot traffic around several buildings on the east end of campus as crews dig deep trenches and install water lines along the north side of Jack Arends Hall, the west side of the Music Building, the east side of Gilbert Hall and the north and south sides of McMurray Hall.
As the project progresses, foot traffic also will be disrupted on College Avenue from Gilbert Drive west to Castle Drive, and south on Castle to about Faraday East as crews rip up sidewalks to install chilled water lines.
Work on Gilbert Drive itself is scheduled to begin May 12.
Current plans are to maintain one lane for northbound traffic on the road. However, all parking will be banned for the duration of the project. Campus Parking Services is working to relocate all reserved parking spaces to nearby lots. All others must find alternate parking on their own. Several lots in the area, including those at Jack Arends and Anderson halls, are typically quite empty during the summer.
After the water lines are installed, 50-year-old Gilbert Drive will be completely rebuilt, including upgrading the road base to handle the daily pounding from the Huskie Bus Line.
4-14-03
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