News archives 2010-2021

Summer construction Q&A this week

April 8, 2014

Carla Browning

A 260-foot crane lifts steel beams into position on Friday, April 4, as workers complete the superstructure for the third floor of the new engineering facility next to the Duckering Building.
A 260-foot crane lifts steel beams into position on Friday, April 4, as workers complete the superstructure for the third floor of the new engineering facility next to the Duckering Building.


Exciting changes will be happening at UAF thanks to another busy construction season. Projects will affect some roads, parking and pedestrian access. Visitors to campus should allow extra time to park and to get to their destination.

If after reading the following summary you have additional questions, please, please drop by the Alumni Lounge on Thursday, April 10 from 1–2 pm.


  • Up-to-date information and a construction parking map (PDF) and other maps and an engineering facility construction site webcam are available online. You can also find current updates via the UAF mobile app under the news icon.

  • Please watch for signs and avoid construction zones when traveling the campus on foot. If you see something unsafe, please take the time to fill out an unsafe condition report (PDF).


Overview:

  • UAF’s skyline is changing as work continues on the engineering facility; You can’t miss the 260-foot crane looming above Alumni Drive. As part of the project, Schaible Auditorium, the northeast entrance to Bunnell and the southwest entrance to Duckering will close in mid-May.



  • Facilities Services crews expect the stairs at Alumni Drive to be open unless safety becomes a concern for pedestrians crossing at the top of the hill. Heavy equipment and trucks loaded with steel will be traveling through the area for the engineering building construction. If you're crossing the street please use extra caution and do not to assume trucks will stop when crossing Tanana Loop. There will not be an official pedestrian crosswalk during construction.



  • The new Wood Center dining expansion opens mid-July. The addition will house a new dining area and kitchen, which connects to the existing food court on the second level, a new coffee shop and dining area on the ground floor. As part of this project, realignment of the fire lane and additional wrap-up work will continue throughout the summer. There will also be some work on the circular turnaround and loading area on the west side of Wood Center.



  • Significant deferred maintenance  and some ADA improvements will take place in and around the Gruening Building May through August, including a roof replacement. The west Eielson parking lot will close for the summer for project staging. Gold permit holders will be relocated to south Bunnell for the summer, and ADA spaces will be relocated in the south Eielson lot.



  • The Brooks Building will undergo repairs and carpet replacements due to winter flooding. This project will displace a number of staff and faculty who work in the building. Most of the work will be on the third and fourth floors.



  • Continued work on our sewer infrastructure upgrades will take place on Yukon Drive and on North Chandalar Drive near the fire station and Chancellor’s Residence. Yukon Drive will be closed from May 25–July 10. During that time, motorists will need to take a detour on Tanana Drive and Kuskokwim Way. Visitors should follow detour signs and allow extra time to get to their destination.



  • New stairs will be installed from the Taku parking lot to the Fine Arts Complex. These will replace the existing steep, slippery concrete walkway.



  • DOT will be starting construction on the Yankovich/ Miller Hill multiuse path. The work will begin at the Thompson Drive roundabout and continue along West Tanana Drive near the experiment farm to the intersection of Sheep Creek and Miller Hill. The new path will be constructed on the north side of the road.



  • Minimal work will take place on West Ridge this summer. There will be renovations in the Akasofu Building, the completion of the animal quarters in the Biological Research and Diagnostics Facility, exterior work around the Butrovich Building as well as minor interior space renovations in various buildings.



  • Lastly, street lighting at UAF will be much more efficient as crews replace hundreds of lights with LEDs. In some cases crews will need to replace the wiring and be digging shallow trenches. This may temporarily reroute foot traffic. Watch for signs and flaggers.


Please bear with us as we make these exciting improvements at UAF. We're building a stronger university!