With the first day of school, UH administration members said they are hoping for a cordial student response to the ongoing construction projects across the campus.
The biggest adjustment for students will be different traffic routes with the closing of Lot 19A over the summer to make way for the Calhoun Lofts, Director of Parking and Transportation Services Robert Browand said.
"The first few weeks are always congested," he said. "We feel the measures we take will be enough to satisfy the initial wave of students."
While construction is going on, students are advised to find other areas to park, such as the Parking Garage or Lot 4A. Meters along Entrance 14 will be removed to improve shuttle service and ease traffic congestion. Shuttles will also be re-routed although services are not expected to change.
"There will be a learning curve for sure the first week until students get used to it, but once the alternate routes are learned there won’t be a problem," Browand said.
Parking lots are currently in construction north of the Law Center and east of the Architecture Building to ease the traffic congestion and will add 160 new spaces. Lot 18A is being extended to add another 150 spaces.
Maintenance on campus parking lots has already been done, and has created 200 additional spaces that were lost from the 600 spaces of Lot 19A.
Negotiations are under way for a shuttle service between UH and either Texas Southern University or the University Business Park to ease campus parking.
The proposed service would be free to students, although a permit would be needed. No date has been set for when the service would begin.
Other renovation projects are also occurring to improve campus buildings and create additional learning space for students.
Improvements to the School of Communication have been ongoing since April 30 and will be completed today with the first of two phases of construction.
The renovations will create more classrooms and upgrade the computer lab, said School of Communication Local Area Network Administrator Shawn McCombs, who is overseeing the construction. Students were minimally affected during the summer because classes were redirected to other areas on campus.
The Technology Annex is also renovating lab and office spaces and replacing outside pipelines to improve plumbing
