Work to construct an earthen berm around the Lied recreation facility moved to the west (front door) side of the building this week. The west doors remain open, but the sidewalk from Beach Road will be closed for four to six weeks, depending on weather. Access to the front doors is from either the south or northwest parking lots.
The project, designed to protect the Lied Center during Squaw Creek flooding, includes an earthen berm between the building and parking lots, varying in height from 5 to 8 feet. Where the berm intersects sidewalks and the front plaza, it will be supplemented during periods of threatened flooding with an interlocking plank system, similar to that installed two years ago to protect door openings at the Hilton and Scheman buildings. The Federal Emergency Management Agency approved the plan; FEMA funds will cover an anticipated 75 percent of the cost.
The flood protection plan will require moving William King's Stride sculpture to an adjacent location. Beginning Friday, May 3, it will be temporarily removed and reinstalled later this summer.
Bike path remains closed
Due to weather delays and changes to the scope of the work, the bike path along the north side of Lied will remain closed for several more weeks. The target date to reopen it is Monday, May 20. Recommended alternate routes to campus from the east side are: University Boulevard (north) to Wallace Road or (south) to Lincoln Way.
Berm construction should wrap up by mid-June. Work to replace a glass curtain wall near the building's south entrance will begin this summer and be completed by early fall.
