Even in the midst of a pandemic, it seems like there is nothing that can stop the UC Merced team from meeting their goals.

Another significant milestone has been reached at the UC Merced Campus Expansion, with the team successfully completing the project’s hardscape. This includes­ all the sidewalks, curbs, and walkways that are needed for the $1.3 billion project which spans over 160 acres. This massive undertaking required over 10,000 cubic yards of concrete.

The hardscaping required years of planning and careful coordination from electric, dirt, and landscaping trade partners. Superintendent Lisa Pierce oversaw the hardscaping scope and played a key role in coordinating with the trade partners to ensure everything ran smoothly.

“It was a challenging process. There’s a lot of schedule turnovers and crews working at different times,” explains Lisa. “After pouring concrete, you need to wait 7-days to make sure it meets the strength requirement before walking or driving on it. But everything worked out very well in the end.”

With the hardscaping now complete, the next milestone for the UC Merced team is landscaping. Over the next few weeks, mulch, grass, and shrubberies will be planted throughout the site, getting the campus ready for the June 1st turnover deadline.

“It’s been a long road to get to this point, but I’m so proud of everything the team has been able to accomplish,” adds Lisa.