UC Berkeley will temporarily close three areas of People’s Park for soil analysis from January 19 through February 16, 2021. Public safety is our primary concern. Affected areas of the park will be temporarily closed to safely obtain soil samples, which involves drilling/boring into the ground by engineers.
Once samples are collected, temporarily closed areas of the park will reopen.
When an area temporarily closes, it will be cleared and fenced. To ensure public safety, there will be no day or overnight use in temporarily fenced areas.
At no time will the entire park be closed. No one will be forced to leave the park for the soil analysis work. However, they may need to temporarily relocate to another area of the park until the work concludes.
No trees are planned to be removed. Restrooms will be available for park users throughout the soil analysis work (access will be maintained via Haste Street).
What is happening at People’s Park?
Between January 19 and February 16, UC Berkeley will temporarily close three areas of People’s Park for soil analysis (this is called geotechnical exploration). Public safety is our primary concern. Three areas of the park will be temporarily closed to safely obtain soil samples, which involves drilling/boring into the ground by engineers. Once samples are collected, temporarily closed areas of the park will reopen. At no time will the entire park be closed.
Why is the soil analysis work being done?
UC Berkeley is proceeding with preparatory work for new student housing, supportive housing, and revitalized open space for People’s Park. Collecting and analyzing soil samples from multiple locations and depths is necessary to ensure the project design is seismically safe.
Does this mean construction is starting soon? If not, when?
Construction is not anticipated to begin until 2022.
Will people currently sleeping in the park be forced to leave the park?
At no time will the entire park be closed. No one will be forced to leave the park for the soil analysis work. However, they may need to temporarily relocate to another area of the park until the work concludes.
What does it mean to temporarily close a portion of the park?
When an area temporarily closes, it will be cleared and fenced. To ensure public safety, there will be no day or overnight use in temporarily fenced areas. At no time will the entire park be closed. Areas to be studied will close for approximately one to three weeks between January 19 and February 16. Dates are approximate and may change due to weather.
What does soil analysis (geotechnical exploration) entail?
Geotechnical investigations are commonplace and performed by professional engineers and geologists to obtain information about the properties of soil and subsurface ground conditions. A boring/drilling machine is used to collect subsurface samples.
Will trees be removed?
No trees will be removed to collect the soil samples, however, some trimming may be required to safely move around the park. Boring/drilling locations have been planned to avoid trees.
Will the park restrooms be closed?
Restrooms will be available for park users throughout the soil analysis work. Access will be maintained via Haste Street.
Will street parking be affected?
Street parking is not anticipated to be affected by soil analysis work. Street parking is maintained and enforced by the City of Berkeley.
During what hours will geotechnical work take place?
Work may begin daily at 7:00AM. However, noise is only allowed between 7:00AM and 7:00PM on weekdays, and 9:00AM and 8:00PM on weekends and legal holidays. Please contact UC Berkeley Capital Strategies at capitalstrategies@berkeley.edu with any questions/concerns about noise.
What is the status of the People’s Park Housing project?
The building design is being finalized and an environmental analysis is currently taking place. The project will be considered for approval by the UC Regents later this year.