One of the largest CU road construction projects ever to begin in March
Cars pass the intersection of Sixth and Green Street while students wait to pass. Opinions editor Tyler writes about campus life during breaks and what students can look forward to when campus is much less busy.
February 8, 2017
Construction on Green, Wright and White streets is scheduled to begin in March as part of a $44 million Multimodal Corridor Enhancement Project.
Plans for the project include “streetscape improvements, a transit boarding island on Green Street, reconfigured Illini Union vehicle entrance and parking, all-way pedestrian crossings and protected bicycle lanes,” according to a press release from the City of Champaign.
Kris Koester, public information officer for the City of Champaign Public Works Department, said this construction will pave the way for better access, regardless of the mode of transportation.
“I think it being one of the largest ever road construction projects to come to the C-U area will have significant impacts on several modes of transportation,” said Koester. “Whether you’re driving, riding the bus, walking, you will have an avenue to get there.”
The public will be notified about one week before construction begins through message boards. Koester said people should plan ahead in order to reduce any inconveniences.
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“I would encourage anyone who takes any of these routes on a normal bases to take some time ahead of time to map out a new route,” Koester said.
If a new route is not an option, Koester encourages people to give themselves more time than normal to get to their destination.
Although the plans include detours and sidewalk closures, all campustown businesses are expected to stay open throughout the duration of the project.
“We’re going to reach out to every business owner and make sure we’ve identified ways that people can still access their business during construction,” Koester said, adding that business will benefit once construction is completed.
The projects, titled Project 1, 2 and 3, are expected to be completed by the end of 2018.
Construction is also expected on Armory Avenue, but will begin in 2018 or 2019, once the other three routes are completed, Koester said.
The City of Champaign, City of Urbana, Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District and University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign are partnering with the Illinois Department of Transportation to complete the project, which has been in the works since 2010.
The project is being partly funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s $15.7 million Federal Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery Grant, which was awarded to the city in the fall of 2014.
