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Tumamoc Hill road to reopen Feb. 6 after repaving project

Posted at 9:50 AM, Jan 08, 2019
and last updated 2019-02-06 08:58:52-05

TUCSON, Ariz. — Tumamoc Hill is expected to reopen to the public Wednesday at 5:00 p.m. after being closed for repaving.

The hiking path has been closed since Jan. 22. Crews planned to reopen the hill on Feb 1, but had to push that date back.

According to Ben Wilder, director of Tumamoc Hill, the repaving will make it more passable for walkers and researchers and to preserve ecological and historical elements.

"We see this as a huge opportunity to improve a road that has outlasted its time," said Ben Wilder, director of Tumamoc Hill. "After more than three decades, the new road will look and feel better to those who use it to exercise, and it also will assist with the Desert Lab's mission of research and education."

The cost of the new road is $200,000. The University of Arizona will invest half, and the College of Science is raising the rest through crowd funding.

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