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

Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our newsletter.

Related Stories
‹
UNC Fires 2 After Personnel Review from Wainstein Report
The University of North Carolina has announced the completion of personnel reviews from the fallout of the Wainstein Report. UNC has terminated the employment of two individuals, permanently restricted one faculty member from future administrative responsibilities and cleared three other employees of any wrongdoing following employment reviews after the Wainstein Report. The university announced the […]
UNC Cost Associated with Wainstein Report Top $10 Million
The residual cost of the Wainstein report came into a clearer picture on Monday. UNC estimates that more than $7.5 million was spent for services provided by three law firms and one public relations agency that were directly related to the academic irregularities of the ongoing scandal. The estimated $7.5 million expense report is in addition […]
Chansky's Notebook: Vicious Cycle Continues
Will the Wainstein Report ever go away? Not looking like it. For the media and all those ABC fans, the Wainstein Report is the gift that keeps on giving. That one last independent probe into the academic scandal, which the Board of Governors and Chancellor believed we needed, traded transparency for protection of the university’s […]
So They Are All, All Honorable Men
In the foulness of the ongoing athletic/academic scandal at UNC, former Governor Jim Martin has brought an honorable breath of fresh air. Many were critical of Martin’s December 2012 report of his investigation into “serious anomalies” in the Department of African and Afro-American Studies. He characterized the scandal as academic, confined to one department. Subsequently, […]
UNC Posts Letter from SACS
UNC has made public the July 1 letter it received from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). That letter informed the university SACS was placing it probation for 12 months due to an academic fraud scandal in which more than 3,000 students received credit for bogus classes. Chancellor Carol Folt said in early […]
Carolina Performing Arts Unveils Multi-Day Performance Festival for 'Campus and Downtown'
The Carolina Performing Arts festival, called “All. Together. Now.”, is set to debut Feb. 18-21, 2027 and take place every year.
UNC Reports More Than $17 Million in Direct Economic Impact from Savannah Bananas Visit
According to a release from UNC, the recent visit from the Savannah Bananas to Chapel Hill generated an estimated $17.1 million.
A Place to Connect and Heal: UNC Holds Annual Community Walk for Suicide Prevention
On Saturday, community members and college students alike met on UNC’s campus for a mile-long walk to destigmatize suicide prevention.
'Together is The Only Path Forward': Orange County's Habitat for Humanity Hosts Affordable Housing Summit
Amid a shortage of affordable housing – both locally and nationally – the Orange County chapter of Habitat for Humanity recently held a summit to discuss how leaders can collectively aim to better address the issue.
Chapel Hill Alerts Residents To Upcoming S. Columbia Road Closure
The Town of Chapel Hill announced that a section of S. Columbia St. will be closed as UNC conducts maintenance on its steam tunnel system.
›