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Champaign

Lorado Taft Path Widening Begins at Campus

Construction is widening the path near Wymer Hall and Siebel Center for Design to improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists.

Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Construction

Freshly widened concrete campus path curving past orange construction fencing, stacked gravel and rebar, and a brick academic building under overcast daylight.
Construction has begun on widening the Lorado Taft Path near Wymer Hall and Siebel Center for Design in Champaign to ease congestion for pedestrians and cyclists. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Construction has begun on widening the Lorado Taft Path near Wymer Hall, Huff Hall, the Business Instructional Facility, and Siebel Center for Design. The work follows a design contract with TERRA Engineering hired in Fall 2025.

Why it matters

Additions to Wymer Hall and Siebel Center for Design increased traffic and safety concerns along the corridor, which Facilities & Services views as too narrow. The project is aimed at reducing congestion for active transportation users in Champaign.

The project received a grant of over $180,000 from the Student Sustainability Committee, funded through the Student Campus Environment Fee. Construction is expected to run until December 15, with the total project cost not yet disclosed.

The players

Facilities & Services

The University of Illinois unit responsible for campus facilities planning and maintenance, overseeing the Lorado Taft Path project.

TERRA Engineering

The engineering firm hired in Fall 2025 to design the solution for widening the Lorado Taft Path.

Student Sustainability Committee

A University of Illinois student body committee that awarded the project a grant funded through the Student Campus Environment Fee.

The details

Construction will proceed in two phases, starting with areas adjacent to Wymer Hall and the Business Instructional Facility. During phase two, the north entrance of Siebel Center for Design will be closed, and pedestrians and cyclists are advised to use nearby sidewalks and streets while key areas are fenced.

Timeline

  1. 2014: The project was included in the Campus Bike Plan.

  2. Fall 2025: Facilities & Services hired TERRA Engineering to design the solution.

  3. November 1: Construction on the Lorado Taft Path began.

  4. December 15: Construction is expected to end.

Campus Bike Plan Follow-Through

The Lorado Taft Path project was first included in the University of Illinois 2014 Campus Bike Plan, and its construction now carries that plan forward after more than a decade of campus growth. Wymer Hall and Siebel Center for Design were added to the area since 2014, increasing the traffic the plan had anticipated.

Pedestrians, bicyclists, and e-scooter riders should use nearby sidewalks and streets while key areas are fenced during construction. The widened corridor is expected to make the path safer and less congested once the work is complete.

The takeaway

Commuters on the Lorado Taft corridor should plan alternate routes through December 15 and expect closures at the Siebel Center north entrance during the second phase. The improvements aim to give walkers, cyclists, and micromobility users separate lanes.

What happens next

Construction on the Lorado Taft Path is expected to conclude on December 15, with phase two closing the north entrance of Siebel Center for Design.

Further reading

For more on local building projects, see Construction coverage in Champaign.

Source note: This article includes information reported by The Daily Illini.

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