Along with final exams, University of Texas at El Paso students will have another concern looming in their minds --traffic.

Construction began Thursday for new traffic control gates on University Avenue, and the project is expected to last 30 to 45 days.

Beginning at 6 a.m. Thursday, no traffic will be allowed into campus from the entry gate at University Avenue through Sun Bowl Drive. 

Starting 6 a.m. Monday, limited traffic flow will be allowed at the entry gate at University Avenue accessed through Oregon Street near the Hilton Garden Inn.

Dormitory Road between University Avenue and the Fox Fine Arts Center will be temporarily inaccessible due to construction, and temporary pathways will be made to direct pedestrians. Dormitory Road is expected to open by the first day of the spring semester, Jan. 22.

While all this construction is going on, traffic will be detoured to the Rim Road entry gate, accessed through Wiggins Road and University Avenue; and the Hawthorne entry gate, accessed through Hawthorne Street, University Avenue, Kerbey Avenue, Circle Drive and Randolph Drive.

Starting Monday, Randolph Drive will open to inbound traffic.