Normal Road, from Davis Hall north to Lucinda Avenue, is closed for most of the summer as crews install chilled water lines beneath the pavement.
The work will begin near Davis Hall and proceed north in 100-foot increments. Pedestrian crossings will be maintained throughout the construction; however, caution is urged when walking in the area because of the heavy machinery and other potential hazards.
The goal is to have the work along Normal Road completed by Aug. 1. Construction of the new centralized cooling plant will begin at the end of this summer and could go into operation by 2010.
The water lines will allow the university to replace aging air conditioning units at buildings across the East Campus. Those cooling units, nearly all of which have outlived their useful lifespan, require huge amounts of electricity to operate and rely upon ozone-depleting chlorofluorocarbons for cooling.
The new chilled water system being installed will use water chilled at a central plant (often utilizing cheaper, off-peak electricity) to accomplish the same task in a less expensive and more environmentally friendly way.
As work on Normal Road begins this week, crews will complete the installation of chilled water lines along the north side of Faraday Hall, making that area dangerous to pedestrians. Parking Lot 10, where construction materials are being staged, will remain closed.
Working hours this week are expected to be from 6:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.