The Talley transformation is upon us, and our friends at Transportation are probably getting the most questions about how the project impacts the campus at this time. Christine Klein, public communications specialist for Transportation, was contacted yesterday by Technician to share more about how the project is affecting parking spaces, buses, etc. We have an informative Summer 2011 Construction Impacts FAQ on our site, but I thought it would be helpful to share Christine’s response to Technician, below:
How will this affect staff and student parking during the summer and fall?
During the summer, we historically have plenty of parking space. And, we operate under modified enforcement which means that any valid parking permit is legal in all parking areas EXCEPT employee areas (B, C and A) and reserved spaces. Employee areas always require an area specific permit; B for B areas, C for C areas and A for gated A areas. Parking meters, pay lots, reserved spaces and “no parking areas” are always enforced during Modified Enforcement times. Permit enforcement always resumes at 7 a.m. whenever classes resume after holiday/break times.
Staff “C” parking is still available on Cates Avenue from Dan Allen Drive to the Turlington Hall area (about 50 spaces).
Cates Avenue is anticipated to be open for the Fall Semester. (Many of these questions are answered at the Talley site – check out the FAQ section – questions about the project and specific Summer impacts).
During the fall, we’ll be opening the new West Deck, which increases commuter student parking availability. (Our online permit sale starts in early July.)
How are buses affected by this? (different routes, fewer stops, etc?)
We knew the Talley Renovation was coming so we did not route any buses on the portion of Cates Avenue between Talley and Dan Allen Drive. We incorporated some changes to Centennial Campus service (including some requests/ideas from students). Overall, students seem very pleased with
the “tweaks” to summer service.
We always analyze and review the effectiveness of our bus routes, but this year in particular, we’re taking the opportunity to take a fresh look at the way we manage transit service. We’re not ready to roll out
our plans just yet, but students will be seeing changes in the Fall which we think they’ll like.
What is the University’s office of transportation doing to ensure the construction doesn’t end up being a giant hassle? (Are you working with other offices?)
Absolutely. There is an entire team that’s been assembled to handle communication which is headed up by Jennifer Gilmore of Campus Enterprises and includes representatives from throughout campus. I’ll be attending the weekly construction meeting which includes the University’s project manager, Charlie Marshall, and all the contractors.
Along with Transportation’s parking planner, Ryan Givens, we’ll “trouble shoot” anticipated issues and be working closely with all parties involved to mitigate any impacts. In other words, we can’t take away some of the pain of construction, but we can ensure the campus community is aware of what’s going on so that they can plan their trips and relieve the stress as much as possible.
Do you believe the Talley construction plan will run according to plan? Why/why not?
I believe experts in the design and construction field have planned all aspects of construction. It’s definitely a science. We have vast experience in coordinating very impactful projects that involved
temporary loss of parking, street closures, transit impacts and changes in pedestrian flow; i.e., Yarbrough Chilled Water Plant, SAS building, etc. Is construction immune from unforeseen circumstances? No – it’s a dynamic process, but that’s why communication is so important. It allows us the flexibility to incorporate changes and move the project forward with the very least impact to the campus community.
Do you have any other comments on this?
Personally, as a University employee and an NC State graduate, I feel like any “pain” experienced with this particular project is well worth it. Talley was functionally obsolete and no amount of money could have fixed its problems. Meeting room and student activity space was woefully inadequate, heating and air systems were being patched together and, not to be indelicate – but the plumbing…enough said. The New Talley will be truly worthy of the students it serves.
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Christine did a great job of answering these questions. We all do need to recognize that this project is not guaranteed to be delay or hassle free. Nothing worth it ever is! Even with the best of planning, the construction firm will encounter unforeseen issues along the way, and they will need to move construction equipment and supplies in and out of the area. And they will need to make noise from time to time. That said, this is going to be a tremendous benefit to generations of students to come, so we will do our best to minimize surprises and ensure you have the information you need to navigate the project through completion!