May 6, 2010
Reminder: Central campus leg of Morrill Road closes Monday for the summer
by Anne Krapfl
Central campus' Morrill Road between Osborn and Union drives will close this summer for reconstruction. The project begins Monday, May 10 and -- absent weather delays -- should wrap up before Saturday, Aug. 7.
Moving through the construction zone
Except for the planned one or two days in July when the entire stretch of road will be paved, pedestrians will be able to cross Morrill Road at three sidewalk locations during the construction period:
- At the south end of Beardshear Hall
- At the south and north ends of Morrill Hall
Most deliveries to Beardshear and Carver halls will be brought by cart from lot 65, south of the Enrollment Services Center. For a limited number of deliveries, a vehicle may be allowed to use the sidewalk along the west side of those buildings. Signs will be posted to alert pedestrians to the shared sidewalk possibility.
Alternate route for CyRide orange shuttle
The only CyRide route that uses Morrill Road is the orange shuttle between central campus, the Iowa State Center commuter lots and the Vet Med campus. The orange route will use existing bus stops along Bissell Road and Union Drive during the construction period.
Alternative parking
Visitors to buildings affected by the construction project should park in the Memorial Union parking ramp or at metered stalls.
Reserved parking permits for Lot 18 (Morrill Road) will be honored in the east campus parking deck (either level), the prepay lot on the west side of the Armory (lot 21), or any general staff lot on campus. Four additional handicap-accessible stalls will be created temporarily in lot 65, south of the Enrollment Services Center.
The construction project
The project will replace a decades-old, crumbling asphalt road with a concrete one. The new Morrill Road will remain one-way for southbound vehicle traffic. The project also will widen the sidewalk on the west side of Morrill Road, standardize angle parking on the road (except for in front of Morrill Hall) and create an open loading zone and gathering space in front of Beardshear Hall. The existing northbound bicycle lane will be part of the new road as well. Lower-than anticipated bids allowed the university to add to the project two new concrete sidewalks on central campus:
- Along the east side of Morrill Road from roughly Beardshear to LeBaron halls
- Along the north side of Union Drive (in front of the Memorial Union) between two north-south sidewalks
The additional sidewalk work is under way.
