Students driving past the Carpenter Performing Arts Center might want to think about new routes to get to Cal State Long Beach starting today.
The start of a six-month construction project — known as the Atherton Storm Drain Project — will close an entire westbound lane on Atherton Street stretching from Palo Verde Avenue to McNab Street, according to a campuswide e-mail from General Manager of Parking and Transportation Services Mark Rudometkin.
Two full lanes of traffic will re-open east of McNab Street.
David Medve, a 25-year-old senior economics major, said he used to drive down Atherton Street to get to school at the beginning of the semester but has used alternative routes lately.
“I think it sucks because it will cause a lot of traffic … but it’s fixing a problem,” he said. “I’m sure everyone will adapt. I was stoked [the campus] sent out an e-mail. I definitely won’t be driving down there anymore.”
Parking and Transportation Services will monitor the traffic daily and collaborate with city officials to mitigate issues “as much as feasible,” the e-mail said.
According to Cal State Long Beach, the project is an effort by the city of Long Beach to repair and cover the storm drain ditch on Atherton Street. The project is in its second phase; the first phase was completed between Studebaker Road and Palo Verde Avenue, Long Beach City Councilman Patrick O’Donnell’s office said Wednesday.
A February 2008 Daily 49er article said the project cost $1.2 million and was expected to be completed earlier this year.
Long Beach resident Daryl Supernaw told the Daily 49er in September 2008 that a 1995 flood caused cars to drive into the ditch.
“They were completely submerged,” he said. Other problems included safety, mosquitos and odors, according to a Long Beach Report article.