Continuing installation of underground utility pipes is causing the closing of another major Mississippi State University intersection for about a month.
According to Bob Johnston, the intersection of Darden and Creelman streets and President's Circle will be closed July 14-Aug. 14, a time period selected to inconvenience as few students, faculty and staff as possible.
The Physical Plant assistant director said several temporary measures will be in effect while work at the intersection is in progress:
Creelman Street, running east-west in front of the McCarthy Gym, will be closed to through traffic east of Tracy Drive, which runs north-south behind Montgomery Hall. Both lanes must stop at Tracy, then the right lane must turn right and the left lane must turn left. Though not closed, access to the parking lot east of McCarthy will be limited.
The McCool Hall parking lot may be accessed via Union Drive, which runs north-south between the Colvard Union and Perry Cafeteria.
Parking for students, faculty and staff at Montgomery and McCool will be temporarily located in Sorority Park, which may be accessed from Stone or Bully boulevards. A special circuit of the campus shuttle will pick up passengers at the Zeta Tau Alpha house and drop them off at Allen Hall.
The $830,000 heating and chilled water loop extension began earlier this summer on Lee Boulevard in front of George Hall. Work on the project, now concentrated on Union Drive, eventually will conclude at the Swalm Building that currently is under construction.
By completing work at the Darden-Creelman intersection now, Johnston said the university hopes to avoid a major traffic disruption that likely would occur with the beginning of fall classes.
The project is scheduled for completion by early November.
