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Hot water piping project to start this spring


Work will begin in late April or early May on a pipe project that will provide hot water service to 18 residence halls located along Raleigh Road from South Road to Franklin Street.

The project will take about 18 months to complete and will require extensive excavation and backfill work, said project manager John Masson of Facilities Services. The project is needed to replace an old, unreliable system that requires much maintenance, Masson said.

Pipeline Utilities of Raleigh recently won the contract with a $7.1 million bid, Masson said.

The University had state "repair and renovation" money to pay for the project in the fall of 1999, but work was delayed so that the project could be redesigned to lessen the impact on the campus and the inconvenience construction would impose on the people who work here.

University employees see trees, especially the bigger, older ones, as an integral part of what makes the campus a special place, Masson said. And many of them have made their feelings known to Facilities Services.

In response to these concerns, Masson said, "We did almost a total redesign in order to save trees and minimize street crossings."

Some smaller trees will still have to be uprooted.

Work will be done in phases, which means work will not be started in a new construction area until work is finished in an old one. The idea behind the phasing it to keep the disruptions to a minimum, Masson said.

Masson said the project plan has also been reviewed by campus employees to make sure it complies with federal guidelines set out in the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Construction areas will be fenced off to ensure safety. When a stretch of sidewalk is interrupted, alternate routes will be posted for walkers to follow.


To see a map of the hot water piping project, go to http://www.fac.unc.edu/CIP/Projects.asp?Project=64


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