The ongoing Student Union construction and the beginning of a new residence hall will soon prompt the closing and re-routing of several roads and parking lots for the summer.
The temporary closures, all set to begin on May 28, will significantly impact the Hill. Phillip Fulmer Way will completely close from Cumberland Avenue to just south of Middle Way Drive, shutting down one of two main access points to the Hill. The section of Phillip Fulmer Way across from the main entrance to Neyland Stadium will be open to pedestrians, but closed to vehicular traffic all the way to the intersection with Peyton Manning Pass.
Traffic will be rerouted from Circle Drive, with a section to change from one way to two way just for the summer. Click the map at left to see details.
Infrastructure work for the Student Union project can progress quicker by closing this section of Phillip Fulmer Way. While inconvenient for those on campus this summer, it allows the contractor to advance the project so that more roads and parking lots can re-open in time for the fall semester.
Traffic will be rerouted as follows:
- To access The Hill, vehicles must enter Circle Drive from Cumberland Avenue. Traffic will be able to turn right to continue up The Hill as normal. However, to access Middle Way Drive, motorists will enter Circle Drive and turn left.
- A small section of Circle Drive will be two-way to accommodate this temporary traffic plan, and the section of the street will be striped to indicate the change in traffic flow.
- The direction of traffic from Middle Way Drive to Lower Drive will be reversed to allow access to the east side of The Hill, exiting via Estabrook Drive.
- Vendors needing delivery access to the Alumni Memorial Building, the Hesler Biology Building, and the Nielsen Physics Building on Middle Way Drive will need advance permission from the UT Police Department.
- Some of the on-street parking on these streets, particularly near intersections, may be blocked off at times during the summer to accommodate large vehicles.
Additionally, half of Staff 9 lot will close, but a pedestrian footpath will open from that lot to Volunteer Boulevard, so that people can pass between the Claxton and Bailey education buildings.
The pedestrian walkway from the Haslam Business Building to the Hill also will close on May 28.
On Friday, May 18, Staff Lot 23 will close permanently to accommodate the new residence hall and dining facility to be built on Melrose Avenue between the Black Cultural Center and the Hopecote guest house. In order to minimize the impact of this parking lot closure this summer, Staff 23 parking permits will be honored in any unreserved staff area from May 18 to August 17.
One lane of Andy Holt Avenue between Melrose Place and Pat Head Summitt Street will also close during construction. This section of Andy Holt Avenue will be one-way westbound.
For more information on these and other campus projects, visit conezone.utk.edu.