When senior Dominic Maggio parks his car on Albenga Avenue in University Village, he moves out of the driver’s seat and instead exits through the passenger side door to avoid stepping in the large puddle to the left side of his car.
“The worst part about [the streets] is the parking,” Maggio said. “I don’t know how much worse it’s going to be.”
Construction began on the roads in and around the University Village last Monday, and affected traffic on San Amaro Drive in addition to Scodella, Liguria, Albenga and Corniche Avenues.
Excavation for underground storm drains, re-grading of roads and troughs and pavement removal are all part of the construction plans.
The construction will be done in three phases to avoid completely shutting down the streets. Each of the three phases will take four weeks to finish, and the scheduled date of completion is Jan. 21, according to the Village Web site.
Garages, parking lots and fraternity houses around the Village will be accessible, but many roads will be unpaved during construction and restricted to local traffic only.
Hurry ‘Cane shuttle routes have also been altered to accommodate the construction. All shuttle stops along Bescia and Scodella Avenues will be closed during construction, and temporary alternative stops will be placed at the corner of San Amaro Drive and Levante Avenue, Village Drive and Albenga and Liguria Avenue.
Some students living in the Village said they won’t mind the delays
“It’ll cause some inconveniences, but I think everyone knows they’re trying to fix it,” senior Clay Wade said.
Although construction will span three months, other students agree that it is necessary.
“I’m was afraid I [would] get stuck in one of the puddles,” said Dane Turner, a senior who usually doesn’t drive after it rains because the puddles would reach “almost eight inches deep.” “As long as they don’t completely shut down the shuttles, I should be OK for classes.”
Felipe Yanez may be contacted at f.yanez@umiami.edu and zander kean may be contacted at a.kean@
umiami.edu.