Construction projects to close High Street, parking lots

West Virginia University Facilities Management is taking advantage of the summer break to finish several maintenance projects around campus, many of which affect parking and traffic patterns.

Construction is set to begin Wednesday on a steam tunnel that crosses under the upper end of High Street, near the front of the Boreman South dormitory. The area will be closed to traffic until July 1.

Traffic patterns will be temporarily changed. Drivers on East Prospect Street will turn left on North High Street, and drivers coming down North High Street must turn left onto West Prospect Street.

The steam pipes contain wires, pipes and other conduits for West Virginia University facilities and require maintenance.

"The steam tunnels were constructed years ago, and over time they’ve deteriorated," said Dan Olthaus Director of WVU maintenance. "This is a section that had some structural issues, and we’ll be correcting those."

A construction crew will remove 40 feet of tunnel top and the northern wall of the tunnel during the project. The crew will also remove 20 feet of tunnel top under the sidewalk in front of Boreman South.

Also, facilities management will be resurfacing and repainting several parking lots throughout the summer. Olthaus said summer is the easiest time to fix the lots due to the lack of student traffic.

"I mean, trying to find parking during the school year is nearly impossible," he said. "This is the best time to do this maintenance."

Several lots will be closed during the summer. To learn more, visit the WVU Calendar for postings about lot closings.