All summer long, the Great Excavations-2 project on the Homewood campus continued to make progress, and everyone seemed to find creative ways to get around the construction. In addition to beautifying the campus, the goal of the project is to make the campus more pedestrian- friendly and improve traffic circulation.

One key improvement is in the area between Garland, Levering, and the newest classroom facility on campus, Hodson Hall. The road for vehicles is being rerouted and an open courtyard with grass, trees, and walkways is being created.

Hodson Hall opened for classes this fall, serving both the Whiting School of Engineering and the Krieger School of Arts and Sciences. The building’s high-tech classrooms enable students to plug in their laptops. In its 44,000 square feet of space are also a 500-seat auditorium and facilities for the archives of the Hodson Trust, whose generous gift supported the building’s construction.

For the latest updates on construction, visit the Great Excavations web site: www.jhu.edu/gx