Road Closed to Thru Traffic Sign (Photo via Town of Chapel Hill)

The Town of Chapel Hill alerted residents that a section of S. Columbia St. will be closed from Monday, Dec. 15 until Friday, Dec. 19. as UNC conducts maintenance on its steam tunnel system. The closed section will span from South Rd. to McCauley St. and Cameron Ave., with work lasting from 7 a.m. until 5 p.m. 

“If you travel through this area, plan for it to take extra time as you navigate the detour,” the town said in its ‘Our Town’ newsletter.

For Tar Heel fans who plan to head to the Dean Smith Center for UNC’s game against ETSU on Tuesday, Dec. 16, the town will reopen one lane on S. Columbia after the game to allow traffic to pass. It will be open from 9:30 p.m. until 11:30 p.m., so fans should still factor road closures into their plan for reaching the stadium on time.

UNC uses its steam tunnel network to provide heat across campus during the fall and winter. In May, the university closed a section of sidewalk near Sitterson Hall in order to add a new tunnel to the network. In August of 2024, UNC posted a design-build solicitation stating the university’s need to update its steam tunnel system and requesting that designers submit applications.

“The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill faces an urgent need to install approximately 1,500 feet of steam tunnel replacing approximately 3,000 feet of adjoining tunnels running parallel to South Columbia Street in Chapel Hill, NC,” the solicitation reads. “The existing tunnel system needs to be demolished and rebuilt while steam service to existing customers remains in-tact. The design and construction shall be installed as per the University’s Underground Steam System guidelines.”

Chapel Hill residents who would like to receive the ‘Our Town’ newsletter, which includes information like road closures, can do so on the town’s website.

 

Featured image via The Town of Chapel Hill

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