Bethel Drive Summer Road Construction

The Office of Facilities Management has announced that road construction on Bethel Drive will begin on June 4. The work will be done between the three-way stop signs by Heritage Hall to the “T” intersection located between the East Parking Lot and East Gate. Traffic will be one way, traveling west to east, which is similar to Welcome Week procedures.

The project will include road resurfacing, curb and gutter installation, retaining wall replacement, lighting upgrades, pedestrian crossing enhancement, the addition of sidewalks, and landscaping improvements. The work is scheduled to be substantially complete by August 10, but weather and other factors could affect the project timeline.

“The condition of this road is among the worst on campus as the road has not been rebuilt since the 1960s,” explains Tom Trainor, vice president of facilities and planning. “The current construction on I-694 offers a unique opportunity to manage traffic flows during this project. The Bethel community will still be able to exit from the East Gate, but no one - Bethel or non-Bethel – will be able to enter because all southbound traffic north of Bethel on Highway 51 will be stopped. This will allow us to leave the East Gate open 24 hours, 7 days a week during the project.”

All parking lots on campus will remain open and the Child Development Center’s drop-off area will also be open. A portion of the Heritage parking lot that is normally reserved for resident parking will be used as a staging area for construction vehicles and materials.

Access to Freshman Hill Drive and the maintenance parking lot will be limited at times during the summer. Pedestrians will be allowed to cross Bethel Drive in the area of the construction, but the specific access points will change throughout the summer depending on work areas.