Lot 33 renovations finished near Moore Hall, now partially one-way
One of Central Michigan University’s busiest commuter parking lots has received a makeover in an effort to make it more pedestrian-friendly.
Construction on parking lot 33 near Moore Hall and the Music Building is now complete.
The renovated lot offers three entrances and exits, with traffic flow directed so regular vehicles cannot travel on the road closest to Moore Hall and the Music Building. That street is now one-way and only available to service vehicles such as buses.
Instead, commuters entering from East Campus Drive at the northeast or southeast entrance will now see “do not enter” signs immediately upon turning into the lot. The driver must then turn into the back of the parking lot rather than continuing toward the service vehicle route.
“It’s just to try to make it a little safer,” said Steve Lawrence, associate vice president of Facilities Management.
It is a process that may take some getting used to at first, he said.
A third entrance into lot 33-south is located along East Campus Drive close to the marching band field.
Although construction on the project is finished, signs are still being moved and added, Lawrence said.
CMU Police Chief Bill Yeagley said the area in front of Moore Hall and the Music Building was often clustered with traffic prior to the renovations, posing a danger to pedestrians.
“That was one of the driving factors,” he said. “Anytime you combine pedestrians and vehicles, there’s a risk. What we’ve done is minimize that chance.”
Other campus parking lots were the subject of construction this summer.
In order to better control traffic flow and pedestrian safety in Lot 62 near Kelly/Shorts Stadium, a new entrance and exit was built this summer on its northeast side along East Campus Drive, Lawrence said. A stop sign is being placed in the exit.
A connector between Lot 8 and 11 is also been added where grass previously stood.
