08/23/94

CONTACT: Stanford University News Service (650) 723-2558

Palm Drive to reopen ahead of schedule

STANFORD -- Palm Drive, the main entryway to Stanford University from Palo Alto, is scheduled to be reopened to traffic the evening of Friday, Aug. 26, nearly three weeks ahead of schedule.

The road has been closed from the Oval to Arboretum Road since work began the week of July 11. From Arboretum to El Camino, only one lane in each direction has been open to traffic during construction.

The closure had been scheduled to last through Sept. 15. Even if it had taken until then, the project was considered to be on an "accelerated" schedule, with crews working nights and weekends, said Michael Kuntz, project manager in facilities operations.

Even after the crews from PAVEX, the contractor, are gone, work will continue on the Palm Drive corridor through October, Kuntz said. This work will involve mostly landscaping and pathway improvements. Also, the Campus Drive-Palm intersection is scheduled to be realigned.

Drivers on the "new" Palm Drive should pay attention to the new lane configuration and turn restrictions, Kuntz said. Among the changes:

• Palm is now two lanes, one in each direction, from the Oval to Campus Drive.
• From Campus Drive to Arboretum, Palm is an alternating three-lane street.
• Left turns are no longer allowed onto Arboretum from either direction.
• Left turns are no longer allowed onto Palo Road from northbound Palm Drive, or from Palo onto Palm.
• The "crown" of the road has been lowered to modern-day drainage standards.
• A granite curb is in place, and along with it, a slotted drain system that should prevent each winter's infamous mini-floods.

During the closure of Palm Drive, traffic restrictions were removed from Serra Street through the campus. Those restrictions (bollards and "pan-busters") will be restored after Palm Drive is reopened.

University officials are planning a formal re-opening ceremony, perhaps to be held in conjunction with the city of Palo Alto's centennial celebration.

-pr-

lid, pw palmreopens

940823Arc4148.html

This is an archived release.

This release is not available in any other form. Images mentioned in this release are not available online.
Stanford News Service has an extensive library of images, some of which may be available to you online. Direct your request by EMail to newslibrary@stanford.edu.