Senior Chancellors Hall resident Jamie Klonowski has a hard time running or rollerblading down West University Drive.

The road has been under construction since the beginning of September to complete work on a water main and install new curbs and gutters, said Terry Classen, director of facilities management and planning.

UW-Eau Claire is splitting the cost of the project with Sacred Heart Hospital, which owns property adjacent to West University Drive, Classen said.

Classen said the total cost of the project is about $161,880. The total amount UW-Eau Claire will pay is about $80,940.

Ty Erickson, assistant division director of regional services for Sacred Heart Hospital, said the hospital is helping to cover the cost of the project in part because it has benefited from access to the road for about 30 years.

Work to the water main near Chancellors Hall has been the driving factor behind the project, Vice Chancellor Andy Soll said.

The water main work is being done to help improve water flow and pressure on upper campus, Classen said.

Klonowski said she has not noticed poor water pressure in her Chancellors Hall residence.

Sacred Heart, however, will not be connecting to the new water main any time soon.

A “T” will be built onto the water main, Soll said, so that the hospital may connect to it later.

Erickson said although the hospital will not directly benefit from the work to the water main, it could potentially benefit by having the option of adding a second water line directly to the hospital.

The curb and gutter work is a continuation of previous work done to University Drive, Classen said.

The city will continue the project by connecting West University Drive to a new intersection that will connect the area to Highway 37, Classen said.

“It will give us a new prominent entrance to campus,” he said. “It will be really nice by next summer.”

Klonowski said she has not encountered many problems as a result of the construction, besides the lack of running room. She said she has adapted by taking an alternate route to drive from upper campus.

“(It) might take five extra minutes, but it’s not a huge deal,” she said.

Classen said the project will be completed soon.

“We’ll be ready for Homecoming.”