Parking improvements to begin in spring 2000

By Joe Kleinsasser

The changes in campus parking and the improvements in Perimeter Road will be significant, but those changes won't be noticeable until late next spring. It will be 2002 before the improvements are complete.

Mid-Kansas Engineering Consultants was selected for the design and engineering of the proposed improvements. The firm also designed the newly realigned entrance of Alumni Drive off Hillside.

The engineering plans are to be completed in January.

The project will involve a partial reconfiguration of Alumni Drive and the extension of Perimeter Road on the west side of campus.

Parking will be added on the south half of the Heskett Center playfields.

The project also includes the reconstruction of several existing parking lots involving more than 4,000 parking spaces.

The changes will result in a net increase of about 700 parking spaces.

Work will likely begin late next spring or early summer and continue over a period of two years.