Lafollette North drive will be closed at the entrance to parking lots H2, G1 and R1 beginning today.
The closing is being made to accommodate construction related to Ball State's geothermal project, Jim Lowe, director of engineering and operations, said.
During the next eight weeks, about 600 wells will be placed in the parking lot next to Carmichael Hall. Lowe said this phase of the project should be completed by move-in time in the fall.
"This is the best time to do it," he said. "We're trying to make this as painless as possible for people parking here."
Lowe said the majority of the closed section features metered spots or parking for Ball State's summer staff.
This parking lot may be the only one to be affected by the geothermal project, he added.
As the map shows, people will still have limited access to the lot through the north entrance off of McKinley Avenue.
The main drive in the area should be reopened at the start of the Fall Semester, Lowe said. But the majority of the lot will be under construction until next spring.
Because of this, fewer residence hall parking permits for the H2 lot will be available for students next year, Lowe said.
But, he added, the university is working to find other parking options to compensate for this change.
In addition to building wells, Lowe said, sections of the lot will be rebuilt using pervious concrete, which is more environmentally friendly because its porous nature filters sediment and debris from rain water.
"While we're here, why not do something even more environmentally friendly?" Lowe said.
Click here to see an interactive graphic on Ball State's geothermal project.
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