Requesting Traffic Closures

Approved closures on the Urbana campus are implemented following a carefully coordinated review of each request by F&S to establish alternate circulation routes in the best interest of pedestrian safety, accessibility, and minimizing potential conflicts for all transportation modes. 

When a sidewalk, bike path, street, service drive, or bike parking area needs to be closed for any reason, a Traffic Closure Request Form detailing closure dates and traffic rerouting information is required to be submitted to F&S for approval at least two weeks in advance. This timeframe ensures proper notification and coordination with campus units, a thorough review, and allows for the creation of detailed diagram routes for pedestrians, cyclists, and vehicles with descriptions of required signage, barricade locations, and other traffic control measures. Once approved,   this information is shared with the campus and local community through multiple communication methods.
Generally, it is helpful to begin the closure process as soon as the location is determined. If a major event will close an area in a few months, please let Transportation Demand Management know immediately, so corresponding projects can be coordinated appropriately. The closure request form should be submitted when the specific dates and times of the closure are known, for dispersal to all involved agencies.

Impact of Major Campus Street and Capital Construction Projects

Closures adjacent to construction sites may require additional considerations due to a variety of aspects such as the designated work areas, required equipment, on-site materials staging location, and contractor access points. Each construction site is unique and multiple factors must be taken into consideration when determining transportation routes impact and how to provide effective routes for pedestrians and vehicles, while properly addressing frequency of construction deliveries, duration of construction traffic, and right-of-way space availability.

F&S, along with project stakeholders, makes every attempt when possible to minimize the potential inconveniences of projects and associated closures by scheduling major work phases over the summer and winter breaks with a reduced number of faculty and staff on campus.  However, that is not always possible due to the extent of the project scope.  The scale and duration of some campus projects necessitate the need for a secure and consistent construction perimeter maintained over several years.

The campus is its own city with major street improvements, new facility construction, and major building renovations occurring continuously. These upgrades and renovations are all being performed to support the mission of the university and are made possible through the teamwork of the organizations involved.  This includes the commitment of units contributing their efforts to the approved closure process with the goal to always protect the welfare of students, faculty, staff, and campus visitors.