Next fall, the Ball State University campus will look much different between Bethel Avenue and Petty Road, complete with smoother streets, a new bridge and a second duck pond.
Muncie's Board of Public Works and Safety signed off on construction engineering work Wednesday to begin the second phase of the McKinley Avenue Project, which will cost about $3.5 million. Construction will begin May 7 and end Aug. 13, said James Lowe, Ball State's facilities director .
Butler, Fairman and Seufert, consulting engineers from Indianapolis, will work with local designers while maintaining the project's progress. The Indiana Department of Transportation will take bids on the project around March 15, Lowe said.
The construction will include a second pond on the west side of the bridge and two chambers to remove debris and oil from stormwater. When the current pond is rebuilt, a biodegradable material will also be placed along its north side to prevent soil erosion as vegetation takes root.
New traffic signals will also be placed at the intersection of McKinley and Bethel avenues, and a chirping counter system will be used to make crossing safer for those with disabilities.
Along with a new bridge, construction workers will rebuild the streets, sidewalks, curbs and gutters in the area. A pillar arrangement similar to that on the intersection of Tillotson and University avenues will also stand at the southwest and southeast corners of Bethel Avenue.
"(The project) allows us to replace a decaying streetscape that does not bode well for visitors to campus," Lowe said.
The university will maintain access to LaFollette and Johnson complexes and to Carmichael Hall. However, a detour from Bethel Avenue to Tillotson or New York avenues will lead to the remainder of campus.
Steve Geraci, president of the Student Government Association, said he does not think the construction will affect pedestrians as much as the project's first phase did less than a year ago.
"It's an inconvenience certainly, but I don't think it's going to become a big deal with Phase Two because students will be able to walk to all academic areas of campus," Geraci said.
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