For students new or returning to Manhattan, road construction could be an impediment to moving in, getting around town and commuting to campus.
“The thing that will affect the most students first off is probably the construction on North Manhattan [Ave.] … towards Kimball,” said Ken Hays, project coordinator for the city of Manhattan. “That is going to be ongoing, road closures and whatnot, probably through the end of October.”
These improvements will reduce the slope of the hill, widen the roadway and add a 10-foot sidewalk, according to the 2019 projects outlook on the city of Manhattan website.
Vivienne Uccello, public information officer for the city of Manhattan, said construction at the intersection of Kimball and North Manhattan avenues is in its final phase and is expected to be complete by the end of August.
Additionally, Uccello said, construction for a new pedestrian hybrid signal located at College and Dickens avenues is expected to be done in mid-September, allowing pedestrians safer crossing on the west side of campus.
“The majority of the street portion of the project at College and Kimball is not slated to start [until] probably the end of November or even into early next year,” Hays said.
Hays said starting the project in the winter would likely bypass increased weekend traffic from the football season, but it could impact campus travel into the spring semester.
