An underpass beneath Prospect Road at the intersection with Center Avenue is open, providing safe, easy access to campus for pedestrians and bike traffic without crossing a busy intersection.

The underpass, which began construction in November 2015, is nearly complete; contractors are working to finish a stairway, but ramps from both the north and south are completed and open. The underpass is on the west side of Center Avenue, connecting to campus at the newly opened Aggie Village North.

The $6 million project is slated for total completion within a few weeks. It features an extra-wide passageway for bikers, pedestrians and longboarders, and provides a well-lit, landscaped gateway to campus.

An estimated 1,600 students on bicycles and 1,700 student pedestrians enter campus from the south each day during the academic year. The underpass is also expected to be heavily used by faculty, staff and students who work and study at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital on the south end of campus and those who park at the Research Boulevard parking lot, along with guests and visitors.

The underpass was built as part of the university’s intergovernmental agreement with the City of Fort Collins to expand and improve access to campus due to construction, including the stadium, slated to open Summer 2017.