Everywhere you look, some sort of construction is underway on UT’s campus. New buildings, better roads and an all-around better environment are supposed to be on the way, but the delay may have game attendees and students waiting for a while.
Currently, there are 11 projects being worked on by the University of Tennessee and the city of Knoxville. The most prominent two are the second phases of the new Student Union building and Cumberland Avenue, but the Volunteer Boulevard streetscape project has also been a pain for students and visitors on campus.
But on game days, all of these construction projects are put on hold.
Dave Irvin, the associate vice chancellor for facilities services, said the university worked this summer to get the majority of these projects done and that workers focus on low-traffic times to do the heavier work.
“If we’re pouring concrete at the Student Union, all of that concrete and all of those concrete trucks and all the disruptions those cause come in between midnight and 5 a.m., so it wouldn’t impact our students, facility and visitors,” Irvin said. “There’s hardly any corner of campus that doesn’t have construction projects going on right now.”
The first phase of the Student Union building was completed and opened to the public in June 2015. The second phase will include adding a large auditorium, a large ballroom, more dining areas and a student recreation center.
The second phase of the Student Union is set to be finished in 2018.
But the main slow down for game day attendees — fans and students alike — is the Strip’s construction.
Cumberland Avenue, or the Strip, is currently having underground utilities from KUB added and will be narrowed from the original four lanes to three lanes. The third lane will be made into a green space with trees and other plantings along with multiple benches.
According to the city of Knoxville’s website, all Cumberland Avenue construction is estimated to be finished in August 2017 — an approximately 21 month project.
Irvin said the Strip’s plans are a city project and that it is a step in making the Strip more pedestrian-friendly.
“It will go from being a street that’s just a thoroughfare into a street that enhances the neighborhoods, is pedestrian-oriented and at the end of the day, kind of niches that whole neighborhood together and triggers the private sector to make investments so that we can get a lot more services — hotels, shops, restaurants — right at our door step,” Irvin said.
Amy Wainwright, an attendee of the Vols game against the Ohio Bobcats on Sept. 17, said this was her first game attended, and the construction around the campus was sloppy, including the Strip.
“I went up and down Cumberland Avenue as I came into Knoxville,” Amy Wainwright said. “I don’t know how you can make a one-lane road down and back out of that. And the potholes shook my car. I’ve always wanted to go with my husband to a game since he’s from Tennessee, but they still should have fixed it.”
Phillip Wainwright, her husband, agreed.
“I’m with the wife on this one,” he said. “I had heard that the roads were bad, but I almost had my glasses jarred off when I was coming up that road. If no one wants to fix those potholes, then I will.
“I can’t imagine you kids going to school each day and dealing with that. Y’all ain’t going to have any shocks left in your vehicles by the time this is all said and done.”
Irvin said all of the campus construction projects combined have cost over $1 billion. He added that he understands the entire construction process will be “kind of painful,” but that the end result of it all will be a more beautiful campus.
“I think it’s going to be an incredibly attractive campus with some fantastic buildings,” Irvin said. “That may be enough in itself, but that may not be enough when you look at what we’re spending … There’s a lot of things that will happen. It will be a much more tech-savvy campus (as well).”
All 11 ongoing projects are set to be completed around five years from now.
Irvin also said construction is going incredibly fast and that he is excited to see how it all will look when it’s finished.
“Many of the students who are on campus now, or students who will be entering our campus next fall, will see those improvements happen while they’re still here,” Irvin said. “They’ll get a chance to see these improvements and to enjoy them.”
Construction on Orange Hall and the Student Union contribute to the traffic issues on campus.
