Areas of Fresno State will be blocked off due to construction and fencing this semester, impacting pedestrian traffic and navigation throughout campus.

With the first phase of the Central Utility Plant Replacement (CUPR) Project that began in May, safety fencing has been installed in two large areas of campus and will remain in place at least halfway through the semester, according to Facilities Management.

An Aug. 15 news release announced additional safety fencing will also be installed south of the Thomas building.

The fencing impacts access to the Thomas building, Professional Human Services, McKee Fisk and the Library’s east employee entrance, with signage in place to direct pedestrians to alternate entries or paths.

Facilities Management recommends planning for additional time to walk around campus, preparing for slight delays in pedestrian traffic and to be alert for construction traffic as vehicles pass within fenced areas.

The construction will also impact a total of 260 trees on campus. The CUPR Landscape Restoration Plan includes a Tree Protection Plan which guarantees that for every medium or large tree that is removed, two more trees will be replanted.

The California State University Board of Trustees approved development of the CUPR Project on Jan. 2, 2021, announcing a 33-year contract with the Bulldog Infrastructure Group (BIG) to modernize the campus’ central utility infrastructure, called the Central Utility Plant Replacement (CUPR) Project.

The “largest public-private partnership utility infrastructure project in the CSU network” is expected to provide more than 30% energy savings to Fresno State and serve over 25,000 students, faculty and staff through efficient and reliable heating and cooling, according to the CUPR project’s website. 

Currently Fresno State is the largest PG&E consumer in the valley. The CUPR Project intends to change that by ensuring that 20% of campus energy will come from renewable energy generation, natural gas consumption will be reduced by 73% and electricity consumption from lighting will be reduced by 61%.

Deborah Adishian-Astone, vice president for administration and chief financial officer, spearheaded the project and referred to it as “critically important for our campus.”

“This is the first major utility infrastructure project utilizing a P3 delivery method for the CSU system. Our central utility plant was originally built in 1954 and has had limited upgrades over the years. It has definitely exceeded its useful life and failure is a constant threat,” Adishian-Astone said in 2021.

Facilities Management acknowledged the inconvenience of traversing campus as a result of the project however, and suggested students, staff and faculty contact them at (559) 278-2373 with any questions.

“We know this project is a major disruption to our campus and we want to assure you that we are doing everything we can to minimize the inconvenience and ensure the safety of our campus community,” Facilities Management said.

Students, staff and faculty with disabilities who may be affected by the construction can contact Services for Students with Disabilities or Human Resources/ADA Coordinator for specialty accommodations. 

Some students are still concerned about how construction will affect their route to class, such as master’s of social work student Jordan Fitzpatrick.

“Seeing that they’re doing [the CUPR Project] makes me nervous because as a blind person I take very specific routes to get to classes, and also [my guide dog] memorizes routes to classes, and that’s how I’m able to get there safely. …That makes it more difficult for me to get to class on time, or even find my class, so I am really nervous about that,” Fitzpatrick said.

Students who plan ahead can contact SCOUT transportation at (559) 278-2811 to arrange transportation, but could be out of luck if they don’t discover the impact until arriving on campus for classes or other appointments, according to Fitzpatrick.

Construction updates will be posted on the CUPR Project website, along with how individual buildings will be affected throughout this school year due to the project.