SEMO TO REPAIR TUNNEL

A temporary above-ground steam line around Academic Hall will pave the way for repairs to a 30-year-old utility tunnel at Southeast Missouri State University.

The temporary line will allow the university to continue to supply steam to the south end of the campus while repairs are made to the tunnel, said Don Neumeyer, utilities engineer for the university's facilities management department.

Pipes in the tunnel carry steam, which provides heat, hot water and energy for air conditioning.

Neumeyer was a pre-engineering student at Southeast in 1966 when the utility tunnel was built.

It has held up well, but it needs to be repaired, he said.

The underground passageway around Academic Hall has experienced some water leaks. "The steam line has been coming loose from the wall so we need to resecure it," Neumeyer said. The tunnel is about 6-by-6 feet in size.

The temporary pipe, currently being installed, will allow repairs to be made in the tunnel without having to work around hot steam pipes. "It just makes the job more comfortable for the workers," Neumeyer said.

Wooden steps and a ramp have been erected over the pipes to accommodate pedestrian traffic.

Lee Mechanical of Park Hills is the contractor on the $125,000 project.

Neumeyer said the tunnel pipes will be shut down, beginning March 11, while students are away on spring break. The steam will be redirected through the temporary pipe line, which will be in operation through May.

The repair work is expected to be completed by early June, Neumeyer said.