Expanding the sidewalk in front of Bruce Hall, the mainside chow hall, will have a two-fold effect, said Joe Provenzano, deputy director of the base Installation and Environment Division.

“We’re going to increase the size of the sidewalk in front of Bruce Hall so when Marines enter and exit, they don’t go right onto the road,” Provenzano said, adding, “It will also provide a traffic-calming feature to slow traffic down.”

It will also mean shutting down Hawkins Avenue in front of the building while the work is done. That closure is tentatively scheduled for June 10 to 21.

Provenzano said the idea to bump the sidewalk out came from Col. James Brennan, commanding officer of Headquarters and Service Battalion.

“Colonel Brennan didn’t like the fact that the sidewalk is very narrow in front of Bruce Hall, where you have lots of Marines bouncing in and out,” he said.

The project will double the sidewalk’s width from four feet to eight and will also include the installation of four speed bumps.

The first step to increasing safety in the high foot-traffic area was to eliminate the parking across the street from the chow hall almost a year ago, Provenzano said, noting that parked vehicles had reduced visibility, while vehicles going in and out of the spaces increased confusion at the crossing.

The work is being done by Washington, D.C.-based Environmental Design and Construction LLC on a contract for just over $90,000.

— Writer: mdicicco@quanticosentryonline.com