May, 2023

What impacts can be expected?

Please anticipate normal construction activities which produce noise, dust, and large loud trucks and heavy equipment. Campus impacts will include utility outages where buildings may lose power, gas, and or water. There will also be changes to traffic circulation and parking. Please observe all safety signs and traffic directions.

How long will the outages be?

We are planning to stagger the outages so only one building will be affected at a time but this is subject to change depending on the logistics of the project. We will all do our best to limit any utility outages to 1 day or less. Power outages will hopefully be coordinated with RI Energy to occur on non-work days. If a power outage will need to occur on a workday, prior notice and alternative work arrangements will be provided.

Will campus be closed during outages?

Generally speaking the campus will remain open for business but it’s possible that certain buildings may have to close or operate with limited services (i.e. no gas or domestic water). On planned electrical outage days the affected buildings would likely have to remain vacant due to safety concerns.

When will Ocean Robotics Lab (ORL) construction start?

ORL (or Project 2) is currently in the bidding phase. Once bids are opened and reviewed, it is anticipated a contract will be awarded and the winning bidder will be mobilized by September 2023.

What is the future of Fish Road?

Fish Road will remain in service up to the entrance to the Horn parking lot until Project 2 starts at which point it will become part of the construction site and eventually be demolished. Access to the Horn loading dock and Fish Building will be via the new connector from Reactor Road. (I suppose we will need to come up with a new name because neither Fish-Reactor Road nor Reactor-Fish Road seem like a good choice.)

What about the memorial trees?

The memorial trees will be protected throughout various projects and conditions will be monitored by the contractor and our campus arborists. The entrance roads to the parking area were specifically designed to save those trees along Pier Road.

What is a storm water management structure?

A SWM structure refers to measures installed to offset the rain runoff resulting from the construction of impervious surfaces such as building roofs and parking lots. The State of RI has best practices guidelines that the design engineers are required to implement for these projects. In this phase we will have sand filters and infiltration basins being constructed.