It’s construction season in Ames yet again, and big projects are starting to take shape near Jack Trice Stadium.

Anyone who has traveled down University Boulevard past Jack Trice Stadium will undoubtedly notice major construction across the road. The good news for the Ames community, the construction is entering its final stages.

The pedestrian bridge that stretches from the east side of the road right up to the stadium is starting to look more finished every day. The bridge, which was just an idea a year ago, should be completed before the football season.

Currently, the ramps on either side of the road are close to the finished product, while the overpass should take shape in the coming weeks. The plan is for the overpass to be constructed from June 27 to July 22.

With the plans for the final stages of the pedestrian bridge set, road closures are expected from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. from June 28 to July 1. However, the pedestrian bridge isn’t the only addition starting to take shape around the stadium.

The smell of concrete fills the air as the RV parking lot construction began recently. As the concrete pads are being poured in the “RV Village,” the thoughts of Iowa State gameday and tailgating are inching ever closer.

The idea of adding specified parking spaces for RVs has been in many people’s minds for a long time. Any way of streamlining the process of getting to and from Jack Trice Stadium is always going to be an idea worth listening to.

The biggest potential benefit of the “RV Village” is the way it opens up space in the Hilton Coliseum parking lot. Tailgating is as big at Iowa State as it is at any college across the nation. The addition of more accessible parking should better the atmosphere around gameday.

“The festivity, the enjoyment and the pageantry of tailgating and the atmosphere that Iowa State fans have come to enjoy over the years is not going anywhere,” Senior Associate Athletics Director Nick Joos said. “It’s only going to get better.”

Not only will the RV parking lot better the fan experience before, during and after football games, but the pedestrian bridge will also help. The bridge should allow for a safe path across the road for Cyclone fans and streamline the process of walking to the stadium.

Another addition to the bridge soon is signage to improve the entrance to the Iowa State campus. Jack Trice Stadium is already a sight to behold when getting off Highway 30, but starting in the fall, Joos said the pedestrian bridge will serve as an “impressive gateway into campus and into the community.”

One reason students decide to come to Iowa State is the beauty of the campus and Cyclone culture. The additions around Jack Trice Stadium add to both culture and the impressiveness of Iowa State’s campus.

A major contributor to the additions around campus is the donors who stepped forward. The gratuitous donations, paired with the efforts from the athletic department, blossomed into additions that will be seen for years to come.

Come fall, gameday will be a little different for everyone, but it should also be a little better.

“I don’t know what’s next, but you are always looking to make improvements and keep growing,” Joos said. “It’s going to be a great atmosphere; It’s going to be a great addition to Gameday and football, and we are certainly excited to get it finished.”