UConn Move-In Weekend: Forget the GPS, Watch the Signs

STORRS, CT — Massive construction projects on the main University of Connecticut campus mean students returning to campus this week will be facing a move-in weekend like never before.

Some students who arranged early move-in are already on campus, but the bulk of the 12,400 who live in Storrs residence halls will be descending on the campus beginning at 7 a.m. Friday.

Freshmen are up first Friday, followed by upperclassmen and transfer students over the weekend. The biggest piece of advice for far from administrators for Friday has been to go old school while driving to the new school.

That means plugging the dorm addresses into GPS units is essentially useless because of North Campus closures and traffic restrictions along North Eagleville Road from Route 195 and its side streets .

Movers should also note that all traffic is one-way on Alumni Drive between Hillside Road and Hilltop Apartments this week.

"The best thing to do is to watch the signs as you start to approach the campus," UConn Spokeswoman Stephanie Reitz said.

The construction is part of a multi-year project that is deemed "necessary" to replace aging pipes and other underground infrastructure throughout campus. The University scheduled as much of the work as possible during summer, but the extensive scope of the project made it impossible to finish before the start of classes or to reopen the parts of North Eagleville Road that remain under construction, Reitz said.

Before the project began, the North Campus area was plagued by random pipe problems.

"In the long run, this is for the best, but this is also the generation that has to deal with the construction," Reitz said. "It's a necessary evil when it comes to traffic."

In addition to the signs, students moving to Storrs are being asked to pay attention to guidance from university police and volunteers to help make their move-in process easier amid the construction process. UConn Police are reminding drivers and pedestrians to "exercise caution and extend consideration for one another." Police added, "Drivers must always yield to pedestrians, and pedestrians should always use crosswalks where available." And look up and not at a phone when approaching a crosswalk, police have said. Specifics on traffic restrictions and staged check-in areas have been provided on the UConn Office of Residential Life’s arrival information website and have been sent directly to students.
People moving into the Hilltop area and to the North and Northwest complexes are being advised to enter the campus from Discovery Drive, which connects to Route 44 at its northern end and carries traffic directly toward the heart of campus. Drivers who are not part of move-in or work-related traffic are being encouraged to use alternate routes on and around the Storrs campus during daylight hours on Friday and over the weekend to avoid delays from the heavier-than-usual traffic and detours, UConn officials said. UConn buses will not operate on Friday, but will run over the weekend and resume their regular weekday schedule early Monday morning. Some routes have changed, particularly in light of the ongoing construction, so students need to check the Transportation Services web page for updated lines and stops, UConn officials said. Students and their families have also been invited to sign up for a text messaging initiative in which they will receive updates over the weekend from UConn officials about traffic conditions, delays, or other unexpected occurrences that could affect their move-in plans. Photo Credit: UConn Get free real-time news alerts from the Rocky Hill Patch.Thanks for your feedback! Now share it with your friends!Thanks for your feedback. Originally published August 23, 2017. More from Rocky Hill Patch