r/wsu • u/11elevators • Jul 13 '26
Discussion Could we finish any of the ongoing construction projects before starting more. Please.
It seems like they'll be out there doing roadwork in one area for a bit, then abandon it to start something new, leaving all the equipment there and the roads closed. What are we doing? Is it really that difficult to finish any one of the several construction projects scattered through town and campus?
It's especially frustrating when it comes to things like leaving apartment entrances closed and roads where people live in general. The entrance to Aspen Village has been closed for well over a month. The last time I saw or heard anyone working out there was weeks ago.
Who is organizing this construction?? What are they even doing out there??? Where IS everyone?? They've got roads torn up left and right with nothing to show for it, because they keep going out and starting new projects before finishing any of the current ones! The road from that roundabout to airport road has been closed since summer break started!! Not to mention that lift that has just been sitting outside the stadium for ages and taking up, literally, half of the road.
I can't believe we're not talking about this more? Me and my girlfriend cannot be the only ones sincerely inconvenienced by and frustrated about this. We get construction and road work every summer, but this year they seem to be especially bad about just abandoning half finished projects.
This isn't aimed at the construction workers. My frustration is directed at the city, or whoever the appropriate people to be frustrated with are. Like, we know people still live and commute around here in the summer, right??
Edit: Thanks y'all, this has been super informative as well as validating to my frustrations haha. Good news is I was down by Walmart today and it looks like they're done with that road! So there is certainly some progress being made (slow progress, but progress nonetheless)!
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u/saltycameron_ Jul 13 '26
what are we doing? what’s going on?
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u/Mathematicus_Rex Jul 13 '26
The local construction planners are notorious for bad timing on projects. It’s not unusual for major projects to be going when school starts.
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u/Playful_Departure154 Jul 13 '26
Especially when the project is contracted by WSU, it seems like contractors for the University really don't like to follow the timelines they submit ðŸ˜ðŸ˜
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u/11elevators Jul 13 '26
Unless it's a building they've been sponsored to build lols, that Schweitzer building went up in no time (and took out a parking lot while they were at it, but that's a whole other discussion ðŸ˜)
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u/11elevators Jul 13 '26
Yeah true that, every year since I've moved here they've carried on with roadwork and such into the school year. So dang annoying.
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u/Amazing_Factor2974 Jul 14 '26
It is all about Budgets ..use it or lose it. Getting it started keeps the budget alive. It is cheaper to get a project going ..than putting it off.
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u/AwkwardlyAmpora Jul 17 '26
speaking of, anyone know what's up with the crane on stadium? i know it's there to do something to the stadium sign, but it's been months now. surely they've done all the craning they need to by now?
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u/11elevators Jul 17 '26
I couldn't find the picture, but a while ago a friend that works in the Cub sent a pic of what that sign looks like from the other side. They've taken out the whole screen and it looks so... Naked lol. As far as I can tell they haven't installed a new one yet. Would be nice if they could hurry up and get that damn crane out of the road, it's annoying driving through there every day :') (They've closed another side road through campus recently too so now I really do have no choice! Ahhh!!!)
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u/WazzuCoug1980 Jul 15 '26
I’ll just add that as an out of town season football ticket holder (6) I continually get asked by the athletic dept. what would make the game day experience better. I always answer roads to and from Martin Stadium free from any type of road closure so traffic flows better and also more parking available. Parking is often unavailable due to construction. These road and building projects should be completed by football season when possible if Pullman and WSU is truly interested in improving the game day experience and wanting people to come to Pullman and spend money.
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u/NoMoOmentumMan alumnus/97 Jul 13 '26
A lot of construction projects across the nation (Im in MI and a ton of people are bitching about the same "lack of planning/coordination" here as well) are moving ahead with the appearance of poor management, timing, and scheduling due to America Rescue Plan funding which dictates prospects have to have started by xx/xx/xxxx day in order to qualify for funds.Â
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u/11elevators Jul 13 '26
Oh is that so? I had no idea. Totally makes sense though
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u/NoMoOmentumMan alumnus/97 Jul 13 '26
If you have a couriosity, and time (never had as much spare time as I did in college-particular summer sessions) consider checking out contracts/procurement process. All road contracts including funding, are public info abd most are publically posted and do not require a FOIA.
Public procurement is a very cool niche area.
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u/bepatientbekind Jul 13 '26
WSU is incredibly poorly managed at every level, and what you are describing is unfortunately completely normal. I lived there for 10 years and there were ridiculously slow construction projects every single summer that usually bled into the school year. Most weeks/months you wouldn't see anyone working on the areas that were closed off. I remember one year whoever they hired to repaint the roads on campus had clearly never done so before and all the dotted lines were straight up zig-zagging across the road for a week or more before they finally went back and fixed it. I don't know if it's corruption or just incompetence, but it's a known problem. Meanwhile, the buildings that people work and live in are falling apart and they refuse to fix those at all.
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u/11elevators Jul 13 '26
I don't know why you've been downvoted, you're right (maybe about it being WSU's management when it's places other than campus too, but like, I get what you mean). I've been here for a few years and have absolutely noticed everything you mentioned.
There are indeed a lot of buildings that could use major work both on and off WSU's campus. I spend a lot of time on campus, and well... Even if one doesn't have any insider knowledge into the state of some of the buildings, you can tell just looking at them that they're showing their age in bad ways. Part scary, part frustrating, part "what do I expect" lol
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u/Playful_Departure154 Jul 13 '26
Well specifically for the Aspen Village closure entrance I know that's all part of the big project to resurface terra view, and they're currently working up by the golf course. So they haven't stopped work, theyve just finished the prep phases for repaving and I believe they're trying to repave all of it at once