A gaping hole in the ground in front of the University of Akron’s Bierce Library is an eyesore, but it could become a nightmare if it is still there when school starts at the end of August.
The hole was created so that maintenance crews could repair high-temperature hot-water lines. Most of the area is blocked off, but there is a narrow walkway for access.
The crews were underground redoing utility vaults that provide access to subterranean utilities, such as valves for water or switchgear for electrical or telecommunications equipment, when they discovered an issue with the waterlines.
The university relies on steam created by the water that moves through the pipes to provide heat to many campus buildings. There are about 5½ miles of piping underground at UA.
In March, a high-pressure hot-water line ruptured on the east side of campus near Rhodes Arena, cutting off heat to about 40 UA buildings.
The initial work of replacing the vaults had a price tag of about $650,000, but with the additional work, the cost is now $1.4 million. The fixes are being paid with state capital funding and not with university dollars.
The project has been underway for several weeks.
A University of Akron spokesperson said it is fortunate the repairs are during the summer when the air conditioning is on and not in the winter when the library would be without heat or hot water.
“The working goal is to get it completed by the start of the school year on Aug. 29,” said UA spokesperson Wayne Hill. “Everybody is pushing to make that happen. They are working pretty consistently and pretty hard.”
Marilyn Miller can be reached at 330-996-3098 or mmiller@thebeaconjournal.com.