Water tower removal set to begin July 10, affecting streets, sidewalks

Preparations to remove the University of Iowa's Hawkins Drive water tower - which is no longer in use - will begin July 6, with removal work set to start July 10 and continue during weekends through the end of August.

The tower will be removed now that a new water tower in Parking Lot 75 is serving the university. The new tower provides a significant increase in water storage capacity and reliability to meet campus and health care demands.

The water tower on Hawkins Drive will be safely dismantled in sections and lowered piece by piece using a crane and specialized equipment. The work will not affect patient care operations, and safe access to the University of Iowa Health Care University campus main entrance will be maintained for patients, visitors, and employees.

Removal work will occur on weekends - from 6 p.m. Fridays to 3 a.m. Mondays - between July 10 and the end of August.

Here's what to expect:

Temporary street closures

Hospital loop near university campus main entrance

The hospital loop southbound out of Parking Ramp 1 and the valet lot will be closed each weekend during this work. Traffic exiting Parking Ramp 1, the university campus main entrance, or Stead Family Children's Hospital main entrance will be directed along Hospital Drive to Newton Road.

Valet parking services will remain open.

Hawkins Drive

Hawkins Drive will be restricted to one lane of northbound and southbound traffic each weekend during the work period.

Sidewalks

On weekdays, pedestrian access near the main entrance of the university campus will be detoured around the construction via a temporary sidewalk located south of the work site.

On weekends, the Hawkins Drive sidewalk from the Center for Disabilities and Development entrance road to Stead Family Children's Hospital will be closed. A detour will be in place.

Employees, patients, and visitors are encouraged to use alternative entrances for a faster route to the hospital.

Level 2 skywalk from Parking Ramp 3

The Level 2 skywalk to the university campus from Parking Ramp 3 will remain open.

Pedestrians may be halted by safety personnel for up to five minutes during lifting operations on weekends. Employees, patients, and visitors can use alternative entrances to the university campus to avoid this delay.

For more information, visit Traffic Notifications for UI Health Care Locations.