Center Street to re-open soon after monthlong construction
Taniah Tudor
Issue date: 9/24/08 Section: News
Construction on Center Street, which was closed in August because of a collapsed tunnel, might be coming to an end.
Officials closed a portion of Center Street between West and University Avenues about four weeks ago after it was reported that part of a drainage tunnel under the street had caved in, City Engineer Ron Petrie said.
Construction has been going on for the last two weeks, but is almost finished, said Keith Streve, assistant manager in the city Transportation Department.
"We opened the street to traffic last night," Streve said Tuesday. "We'll probably finish the cleanup this week."
Kristin Cooper, a journalism student, said she was glad the construction was almost finished.
"It's about time," Cooper said.
The construction is frustrating for Cooper because "it's just this little section that you have to drive all the way around for," she said.
Cooper usually follows the detours, but she said they can be confusing.
"The first day of school, I was going to come down Center Street, and it was closed," said Nathan Mahaffey, a civil engineering student. He said the construction has not made it that inconvenient for him because there are other ways to get to campus, "but I'm sure it's made it inconvenient for others."
Coby Durham and Dia St. John, industrial engineering students, said they use Center Street about once a week.
"It's not too bad," Durham said. "It's a little worse than it used to be, but there is always so much construction going on you get used to it."
St. John said she "didn't even know they were doing construction."
The full portion of tunnel under the street has been replaced with a reinforced concrete box, Petrie said.
The arched native-stone drainage structure, which goes all the way to Dickson Street, is estimated to be between 100 to 150 years old, Streve said.
Officials closed a portion of Center Street between West and University Avenues about four weeks ago after it was reported that part of a drainage tunnel under the street had caved in, City Engineer Ron Petrie said.
Construction has been going on for the last two weeks, but is almost finished, said Keith Streve, assistant manager in the city Transportation Department.
"We opened the street to traffic last night," Streve said Tuesday. "We'll probably finish the cleanup this week."
Kristin Cooper, a journalism student, said she was glad the construction was almost finished.
"It's about time," Cooper said.
The construction is frustrating for Cooper because "it's just this little section that you have to drive all the way around for," she said.
Cooper usually follows the detours, but she said they can be confusing.
"The first day of school, I was going to come down Center Street, and it was closed," said Nathan Mahaffey, a civil engineering student. He said the construction has not made it that inconvenient for him because there are other ways to get to campus, "but I'm sure it's made it inconvenient for others."
Coby Durham and Dia St. John, industrial engineering students, said they use Center Street about once a week.
"It's not too bad," Durham said. "It's a little worse than it used to be, but there is always so much construction going on you get used to it."
St. John said she "didn't even know they were doing construction."
The full portion of tunnel under the street has been replaced with a reinforced concrete box, Petrie said.
The arched native-stone drainage structure, which goes all the way to Dickson Street, is estimated to be between 100 to 150 years old, Streve said.
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