Sidewalk Upgrades Make for Smoother Walking

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Walkers passing from Memorial Hall to the Student Union on the Campus Pond side will find much-improved footing this fall.

University crews have completed the paving and berming of the sidewalks, replacing the deteriorated surfaces on the east side of Memorial Hall and the W.E.B. Du Bois Library.

With the allocation of funding for new equipment, Physical Plant construction services staff completed the work using 624 tons of blacktop. Without the equipment, a private contractor would have performed the work at higher cost, according to Pam Monn, assistant director, custodial and grounds services.

Paving begins with the removal of the existing blacktop. Most of the asphalt is re-melted on campus in an asphalt hotbox and run through the berm machine. The logs of berm are cut in manageable sizes (called biscuits) and used for pothole patching in the winter. Next, the base surface for the sidewalk is graded for proper drainage, and gravel is brought in as needed to level the surface. A 2- to 3-inch base coat of asphalt is installed. Then, berm is placed along the edges, with the final 1.5- to 2-inch top coat of asphalt locking in the berm.