Work resumes on Amity Street roundabout in Amherst

AMHERST — Construction work associated with turning the Amity Street and University Drive signalized intersection into a roundabout is resuming Monday, with traffic likely to be impacted at one of the main entrances to the University of Massachusetts campus.

Crews with Baltazar Construction Inc. of Ludlow are expected back at the project site, with detail officers on scene to direct traffic. There is likely to be a single lane of traffic, at times, between 7 am. and 5 p.m., according to the Department of Public Works.

The initial site work began last fall before being shut down for the winter. The roundabout is supposed to be complete by year’s end.

Adjacent to the planned roundabout, and behind a construction fence, the mixed-use Campus View development is also underway, with much of the foundation and underground utility work taking place. That 422 Amity St. site was where Rafters Sports Bar and Restaurant was located before that building, constructed in 1968, was demolished last fall.

Campus View will have 102 residential units with 290 beds, and 12,000 square feet of street level commercial space. 

A neighboring building on University Drive housing Encharter insurance and other tenants remains open and accessible, though that is expected to eventually make way for part of the Campus View project.

The roundabout is being funded with a $1.94 million MassWorks Infrastructure Program grant that was awarded to the town in fall 2024.

All work depends on weather, meaning the schedule could be impacted by snow and rain. Those seeking additional information can contact the DPW at 413-259-3050 or at publicworks@amherstma.gov

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