South Allen Street in State College Reopening for Penn State Student Move-In Weekend

A busy State College street that has been partially closed for utility replacements is reopening to vehicle traffic as students return for the start of Penn State's fall semester.

The 100 block of South Allen Street was slated to open to thru-traffic by the end of the day on Thursday, according to the borough. While move-in on campus and at downtown apartment buildings began last weekend, the largest volume of returning students is anticipated on Friday and Saturday.

On Monday and Tuesday, the block will be closed to vehicle traffic between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. then reopen during evening hours. Later in the week, fencing will be removed and no work will take place on Thursday, Aug. 29, to accommodate LION Bash.

After that, no longterm restrictions are expected, the borough wrote in an update.

South Allen Street has been closed between College Avenue and Calder Way since the week of May 20 for utility replacements as part of State College's Calder Way project. Work was delayed after telecommunications conduit was disturbed during excavation and the contractor worked with the utility owner on a solution.

Local traffic has been able to access the block from Beaver Avenue.

In other Calder Way project work, crews will resume installing a storm sewer system on Calder Way between Pugh and Allen streets on Monday. Work will also include crews finishing conduit and storm pipe replacement at Allen Street and Calder Way and water service connections near Kelly Alley and Calder Way.

Calder Way is closed to vehicular traffic between Pugh and Allen streets, and to both vehicles and pedestrians between Allen and Fraser streets.

The work is part of the mulit-year Calder Way project to replace aging utility infrastructure and create a more pedestrian friendly space on the downtown alley,

First phase work on the project is occurring this year between McAllister and South Fraser streets. It includes replacement of sanitary sewer, stormwater, water main and gas main lines and providing provisions for electric and telecommunications lines to be moved underground. Some utility replacement is also taking place on Kelly and Humes alleys.

Future phases through 2027 will involve similar work on the rest of the road, with the project bordered by Hiester and South Burrowes streets. The second phase of the project is expected to go out to bid later this summer.

The overall project aims to transform Calder Way into a “pedestrian-preferred” corridor with limited vehicular traffic, “replacing curbed sidewalks with more artistic measures and the incorporation of other streetscape enhancements from Hiester to Burrowes,” according to the borough’s 2023-27 Capital Improvement Plan .

Streetscape and transportation work will include widened sidewalks to provide an at-grade pathway using stamped concrete and ADA upgrades at all intersections with detectable warning devices. Project plans, which are still to be finalized, may also include installation of retractable bollards for traffic control and new lighting, greenery and public art.

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