As construction continues to reshape the College of William and Mary’s campus, students must adjust to altered walkways, fenced-off zones and rerouted paths across heavily trafficked academic corridors. To understand how these detours affect daily routines, The Flat Hat conducted a construction blockage survey, gathering 50 student responses on the frequency of blockages, the most affected areas and whether students feel the disruption is justified by long-term improvements.
Current work spans several high-traffic campus regions, most prominently the corridor between Earl Gregg Swem Library and the Integrated Science Center. Additional construction sites lie near Jamestown Road and residential areas in the southern portion of campus, leading to continued foot traffic bottlenecks. The data suggests that, for most students, construction interruption has become a routine part of campus travel, rather than an occasional inconvenience.
Survey responses indicate consistent disruption. More than half of students said they encounter construction blockages multiple times per day, and nearly one quarter reported hitting detours once per day. Only a small portion of respondents said they rarely see closures.
Students most frequently cited the Swem Library and Integrated Science Center zone as the most difficult area to navigate, reflecting its role as a central pedestrian corridor. Secondary clusters of reported disruption were located near Commons Dining Hall, Jamestown Road corridors and West Woods.
When asked to rate the College’s handling of construction blockages on a scale from 1-10, respondents indicated an average of 6.2 out of 10, suggesting a mixed but generally patient reception. While detours add time to commutes, many respondents appear to view the issue as manageable when weighed against future improvements.
Two-thirds of students said they believe the construction will ultimately be worth the inconvenience, while one-third disagreed.
Hannah Lewis ’29 said she encounters construction daily on her way to class, but she does not view the detours as significantly disruptive.
“I do not really see it as much of a nuisance, but it is something you see every day when you are walking to class,” Lewis said. “So it is something that I think is felt by everybody.”
As these projects continue, campus routes will likely remain in flux. While many students express patience with the College’s long-term plans, these findings show construction has become a routine part of campus life: one measured in added minutes and diverted paths between classes and dining halls.
