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Nine Construction Projects On Tap This Summer

Projects will temporarily impact travel on campus at different times

By Bryan Roth

[UPDATE 7/9/14] - Campus Drive Access to Traffic Circle Closed

The final phase of construction on the West Campus roundabout begins next week. From July 14 to 27, access from Campus Drive into and out from the roundabout is closed. The southern portion of Chapel Drive will be reduced to one lane at the traffic circle, while the northern entry/exit reopens. See map for details.

For more information about the project to improve aesthetics of the circle, see the original post below.

[UPDATE 6/25/14] - Flowers Drive Entry, Exit Restricted at Traffic Circle

Duke community members using Flowers Drive will be impacted starting June 30 by construction taking place at the West Campus roundabout where Flowers, Chapel, Campus and Wannamaker drives meet.

From June 30 to July 13, no entry or exit will be allowed to Flowers Drive from the traffic circle. Signs will be placed along Flowers Drive to alert motorists of the change.

Flowers Drive
Instead of using the traffic circle to enter or leave campus, drivers will need to travel from Flowers to Yearby Avenue or Erwin Road.

Faculty and staff will still be able to access parking lots and drop-off areas along Flowers Drive. The only change will be the inability to access the entry/exit of Flowers at the roundabout.

Because of this ongoing work and other construction around campus, Duke's C2 and H5 bus routes will be adjusted. Additional construction at the West Campus traffic circle will also take place next month, depending on weather and project scheduling:

July 14 to 27Access from Campus Drive into and out from the roundabout is closed. The southern portion of Chapel Drive will be reduced to one lane at the traffic circle, while the northern entry/exit reopens. See map for details.

For more information about the project to improve aesthetics of the circle, see the original post below.

[UPDATE 6/20/14] - Campus Drive Circle Access Limited Through July 27

Crews will begin the next phase of construction Monday on the roundabout where Chapel, Campus and Wannamaker drives meet on West Campus, reducing access on Campus Drive to one lane.

Work will take place to demolish existing asphalt paving and concrete paving beneath, then replace it with new heavy-duty paving. During the process, portions of the roundabout will be closed or reduced to one lane:

June 23 to 29Wannamaker Drive access will be closed, with one lane allowed for entry and exit on Chapel Drive on both the southern and northern part of the roundabout. See map for details.

June 30 to July 13No entry or exit will be allowed along Flowers Drive from the traffic circle. Two-lane access reopens for southern portion of Chapel Drive that extends to Duke University Drive. The northern half that leads up to West Campus Quad will remain one-lane only. See map for details.

July 14 to 27Access from Campus Drive into and out from the roundabout is closed. The southern portion of Chapel Drive will be reduced to one lane at the traffic circle, while the northern entry/exit reopens. See map for details.

Because of this ongoing work and other construction around campus, Duke's C2 and H5 bus routes will be adjusted. For more information about the project to improve aesthetics of the circle, see the original post below.

[UPDATE 6/18/14] - Closure of Markham Avenue Entry to East Campus

Delayed construction to widen the Brodie Gym Drive entrance to East Campus will now take place July 7 through July 22.

During that time, the entrance off West Markham Avenue will be closed to all traffic. Instead, motorists will be able to access East Campus with a temporary throughway set up at the intersection of Broad and Perry streets. Vehicles will be able to slowly drive onto campus using a walkway that runs from that intersection to the Randolph Lot outside the Brodie Recreation Center.

The temporary entrance will be available for use between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. weekdays, and construction workers will be stationed at the entry point to assist with vehicle and pedestrian traffic. Motorists using the temporary path onto East Campus should use extra caution and drive at low speeds.

For more details about the temporary entry point, see this map.

In addition to adjusting the entrance, additional paving will take place on Brodie Gym Drive from the entrance to the Pegram Lots.

Original story follows:

Beginning next week, a series of construction projects will begin to help enhance pedestrian and motorist travel from the corners of East Campus to the edge of West Campus.

The work includes paving, painting and waterproofing a building foundation, and all will temporarily impact travel on campus at different times during the summer.

Here are upcoming projects and how they'll impact your movement around campus. Scroll down to see a map outlining the work. All dates are tentative, barring weather delays:

Tree Removal Outside Allen Building, May 12 and 13

A nearly 100-year old willow oak tree must be removed due to rotting roots, so Facilities Management will have heavy equipment stationed outside the Allen Building to remove the overly mature tree.

During the work, access to Chapel Drive outside the Allen Building will be restricted to one lane.

Chapel Drive Circle Aesthetic Upgrades, May 12 to Aug. 15

Facilities will resize the roundabout where Chapel, Campus and Wannamaker drives meet on West Campus. Crews will reduce the diameter of the circle by about 4 feet on each side, which will allow for Duke's articulated buses to access the roundabout easier.

In addition to resizing the circle, new plantings will be installed and a 3-feet high Duke stone wall with new flowers and plants will also be created inside the original structure. New granite curbs will also be added.

During construction, a single lane will remain open for motorists.

Pipe Installation on Campus Drive, May 12 to Aug. 15

This will be the final phase in a project to install piping from West Campus to assist in the cooling of buildings on East Campus. No traffic will be allowed in the construction zone, which stretches from the Swift Avenue-Campus Drive intersection to the Main Street overpass near Maxwell Street and the East Campus Steam Plant.

Crews will mill the road, install pipe and repave. While no vehicles will be allowed during the summer, pedestrians will still be able to use temporary paths.

Brown Parking Lot Repairs, May 13 to June 1

In late April, a sinkhole began to form near East Campus' Brown Lot. Manning said it formed over a storm water line that wasn't marked on any pre-existing maps provided to Duke.

A single lane into the lot will be closed as crews work to dig up earth, replace the water line and refill the hole. The lot will also be repaved as part of the process.

Trent Drive Pedestrian Upgrades, May 15 to August

Crews will work to improve safety for pedestrians by modifying four crosswalks between the Trent Drive-Erwin Road intersection and Parking Garage I. Crosswalks will be repainted, bushes will be trimmed and additional signage will be installed to alert motorists.

A single lane will remain open for motorists.

Perkins Library Foundation Waterproofing, May 26 to Nov. 1

As part of an effort to upgrade Perkins' building foundation, employee and visitor traffic will not be allowed to travel from the Chapel Drive roundabout that stretches from Perkins Library up to Duke Chapel steps and back around, alongside the West Union. Only emergency vehicles, Duke buses, senior leadership and special guests will be allowed access.

Perkins' foundation, still the original from the late 1920s, wasn't waterproofed at the time. Because of that, the building is susceptible to basement flooding. Crews will need to dig 16-feet deep to expose the building's foundation to replace drain tiles and waterproof the structure. Gravel will also be added into the ground to allow for more drainable earth.

During construction, pedestrians will need to take a detour across the quad's grassy median to use the sidewalk alongside the West Union.

Brodie Gym Drive Entrance Restructuring, June 1 to 27

The entrance to East Campus off West Markham Avenue will be closed to traffic so crews can widen the throughway for motorists and improve the gradient of the pavement.  

Paul Manning, director of project management for Facilities Management, said the construction stems from too many vehicles bottoming out on pavement while trying to enter or exit East Campus. He said that creating a wider entrance and fixing the slope of the pavement would make it easier for drivers.

In addition to adjusting the entrance, additional paving will take place on Brodie Gym Drive from the entrance to the Pegram Lots.

Baldwin Loop Repairs, June 1 to 27

The small loop off West Markham Avenue, behind Baldwin Auditorium, will be closed to all traffic as Facilities makes aesthetic repairs to curbs.

Research Drive Repaving, July 1 to August

The road will be milled and repaved from the roundabout at Circuit and Research drives south to Searle Center Drive, formally known as Coal Pile Drive.

A single lane will remain open for motorists.

Here's a map showcasing work taking place this spring and summer. Of the 11 projects listed, two are already complete or nearing completion and nine will begin soon. Click here for an enlarged version.