Signs erected Wednesday announce that the end is in sight for Sunset Avenue. The street will be closed to traffic as of Monday, September 22.

The change will greatly improve the safety of pedestrians on campus while giving the University additional outdoor space for student activities, says Sandra Aversa, vice-president of planning and administration.

“The city has been very supportive of this project,” Aversa says. “Council voted in May approving the closure of Sunset and Fanchette streets, allowing us to take possession of Sunset for the sole use of the University.”

The street closure will line traffic-blocking bollards across the entrance to Sunset flush with the curbs along Wyandotte Street, minimizing the chance for confusion among motorists while maintaining access for emergency vehicles and construction equipment.

The first priority is the creation of the cul-de-sac at the north end of Chrysler Hall to act as a pick-up and drop-off area. Contractors project completion of this stage by the end of October, if the weather cooperates. The rest of the surface reconstruction will proceed in stages. See a map outlining the stages of the project, including construction timelines, on the Campus Master Plan website.

Other changes include:

• permanent removal of parking meters by the city along Sunset Avenue between Fanchette and University streets as early as today;
• temporary relocation of the entry point to the Leddy employee parking lot to the north end of that lot;
• temporary relocation of the entry to the Education parking lot to California Avenue, effective Monday;
• activation of the traffic signal at the intersection of California and University avenues and the concurrent removal of the signal at the intersection of Sunset and University.

Direct any questions or concerns to https://fluidsurveys.uwindsor.ca/s/sunset-ave/.

A conceptual drawing shows a cul-de-sac at the north end of Chrysler Hall, intended to act as a pick-up and drop-off area.