Continuous campus construction

Kennedy Robins

November 17, 2021

While walking around Weber State University’s Ogden campus, some people may not be surprised to see construction going on around them. Currently there are two ongoing construction sites located on the university’s Ogden campus, which are occasionally causing issues with students’ usual Utah Transit Authority commute.

One site is for the new Noorda Engineering Applied Science and Technology Building. This site is due to be finished with construction and open in fall 2022, according to the signs posted around the construction site.

Construction workers use small cranes while working on the new Noorda Engineering, Applied Science and Technology building. (Kennedy Robins/ The Signpost). (Kennedy Robins/ The Signpost) — Construction workers use small cranes while working on the new Noorda Engineering, Applied Science and Technology building. Photo credit: Kennedy Robins

Two construction workers weld the outside of the Noorda Engineering, Applied Science and Technology building. (Kennedy Robins/ The Signpost) — Two construction workers weld the outside of the Noorda Engineering, Applied Science and Technology building. Photo credit: Kennedy Robins

The second construction site is meant for the new Bus Rapid Transit line for public transportation, a collaborative project between UTA and WSU. This site is projected to be completed around 2023, according to UTA.

While construction is still ongoing, there are the occasional problems with UTA bus stops. A few of the regularly-used stops have to be skipped due to construction blocking the roadways and for student safety measures, UTA says.

While construction is ongoing on Ogden campus grounds, if students are worried the bus will skip their stop, UTA has put up signs in the past during this year’s construction asking students to go the bus stop by the duck pond.

Morning traffic on Ogden's Edvalson street approaches the Noorda Engineering, Applied Science and Technology building construction site. (Kennedy Robins/ The Signpost) — Morning traffic on Ogden's Edvalson street approaches the Noorda Engineering, Applied Science and Technology building construction site. Photo credit: Kennedy Robins

The finished circle directly in front of the Shepherd Union building will function as a drop-off area for the Bus Rapid Transit. (Kennedy Robins/ The Signpost) — The finished circle directly in front of the Shepherd Union building will function as a drop-off area for the Bus Rapid Transit line. Photo credit: Kennedy Robins

Students must walk around construction related to the Rapid Bus Transit system to get to the Student Services building. (Kennedy Robins/ The Signpost) — Students must walk around construction related to the Rapid Bus Transit system to get to the Student Services building. Photo credit: Kennedy Robins

Construction commute problems for WSU students don’t stop there. Earlier this summer, UTA released a statement that they would be discontinuing their stop for busses 455 and 473 at the Antelope Drive at Highway 89 stop, due to construction for the next two months, or around January.

“The construction has affected my commute a lot,” Weber State student David Rackham, who has used public transportation for the majority of the time while at college, said. “I used to be able to just walk up to the Antelope Drive stop for school; however, with the construction, our only choices are to go to the mall bus stop, Fruit Heights bus stop or the South Weber bus stop.”

While construction is not fun to deal with for anyone and can feel like it will never end, most people know the construction is leading to a future with plans of easier and faster ways to get to where the community needs to go.

A construction sign lets drivers know that construction traffic is the only traffic allowed in a part of the Dee Events Center parking lot. (Kennedy Robins/ The Signpost) — A construction sign lets drivers know that construction traffic is the only traffic allowed in a part of the Dee Events Center parking lot. Photo credit: Kennedy Robins

Construction cones are set up outside of the Kimball Visual Arts Center. (Kennedy Robins/ The Signpost) — Construction cones are set up outside of the Kimball Visual Arts Center. Photo credit: Kennedy Robins

Continuous campus construction

The Signpost