Inside Duke Medicine
The future starts now: Hospital expansion, cancer center to become reality
posted August 26th, 2009Construction will span 4 years
Detailed plans will expedite construction, minimize inconvenience
Construction of the new Duke Medicine Pavilion and the new ambulatory Cancer Center will take about four years to complete.
To build the two structures and a connecting concourse, a force of highly-skilled construction workers will erect about 5,500 tons of structural steel, pour more than 23,000 cubic yards of concrete (enough to build more than 90 miles of sidewalk) and install about 3 acres of exterior glass..jpg)
For months, architects, engineers and designers have been preparing designs and plans for how best to choreograph the construction while minimizing the impact of the work on patients, families, visitors and employees.
To keep pedestrian traffic flowing, the walkway between Duke North and Duke Clinics will always be open, although there may be temporary interruptions when cranes or construction materials need to be moved. Flaggers and security personnel will help to keep everyone safe.
As for road traffic, a special entrance has been built off Erwin Road for construction vehicles and equipment, to limit their impact on Trent Drive and the Clinic Circle. Even so, the greatest disruption will be around the Clinic Circle, with the construction of roads, sidewalks and utilities there.
As the project progresses, patients, visitors and employees will be kept informed about any important changes to traffic and pedestrian routes through direct messages, DukeHealth.org, Inside Duke Medicine and http://inside.dukemedicine.org.
It will be exciting to see the buildings rise. First to go up will be parts of the new enclosed pedestrian concourse, and then the new ambulatory Cancer Center, followed by Duke Medicine Pavilion.