Progress is Underway!
Progress is underway on the Lake Area Technical College campus! We have not one, but two major building projects happening now: the Diesel expansion project and the Archway project. Bookmark this page for monthly building project updates, traffic adjustments, parking instructions, and more.
Latest Announcements
September 6, 2023: Partial paving of Arrow Avenue has allowed access back into the MET parking lot. Read more.
Diesel Expansion
Groundbreaking on the Diesel Technology addition took place in June 2022. The new addition will expand the Diesel program’s lab and classroom space to accommodate rapid growth and will enable Lake Area Tech to meet the high-demand workforce needs in the diesel and transportation industry. The 18,000 square-foot addition recently opened for Diesel students.
Updates – September 2023
- Our students are now utilizing the expansion and finishing details will soon be completed.
Diesel Technology Expansion Project
Archway/Dana J. Dykhouse Business Center of Learning/Advanced Manufacturing Center
The highly anticipated Archway Complex will tie the campus together via a walkway connecting a new Advanced Manufacturing building and the new Dana J. Dykhouse Business Center of Learning that will house the Business, Financial Services, and General Education programs. The two-story 29,000 square-foot Archway/Business Center and the three-story 16,800 square-foot Advanced Manufacturing Center are slated to open in Fall 2024. Groundbreaking was held July 12, 2022.
Updates – September 2023
- North Side: Brickwork is complete and interior framing is underway.
- South Side: Floors have been poured and interior work is underway.
- The project is slated to be complete April 2024 and open for students in Fall 2024.
- Archway: Work on the Archway is nearly complete.
Archway Complex
Latest Announcements
September 6, 2023: Partial paving of Arrow Avenue has allowed access back into the MET parking lot.
Please take note: With the heavy traffic around campus, be extremely cautious crossing 3rd Avenue from the North Parking Lot to Lake Area Tech. Drivers are expected to slow down/stop for pedestrians but this does not always happen. Additionally, the sun is low and bright in the morning making it difficult for drivers to see so please be aware of your surroundings and watch closely. If you are a driver, make sure you are watching for pedestrians crossing the street at all times.
Previous Announcements
September 1, 2023: Starting Friday, September 1, paving equipment will be on-site to finish the east section of Arrow Avenue and the adjacent parking lot. Please do not enter the site from the east, even on foot; use alternate entrances to the Student Center and MET/Ag Building. Walk only in the route provided between the MET/Ag Building and Student Center (and vice versa). Look for the path provided with construction cones. Please do not deviate as construction crews and heavy equipment will be moving throughout the area.
August 17, 2023: Arrow Avenue on campus and the MET parking lot are temporarily closed. Contractors will be putting in new curb and gutter, parking spaces on the north side of Arrow Avenue, and more. Please plan accordingly and explore other parking options. (See construction map below).
- Be aware – following the completion of millwork and asphalt paving on 1st Ave NE on the south end of campus, the stop signs located at the intersection of 1st Ave NE and 13th St NE for eastbound and westbound traffic will be permanently removed. Use extreme caution.
July 12, 2023: Due to the closure of Arrow Avenue on our campus and the MET parking lot south of the main entrance, visitors are encouraged to view the map below and park in one of the other designated visitor parking areas. The closure is expected to be in effect July 17 – August 17, 2023.
June 15, 2023: Arrow Avenue directly in front of the Student Services doors continues to be partitioned off for construction traffic. There is one entrance open to the MET/Ag parking lot.
May 8, 2023: Arrow Avenue directly in front of the Student Services doors has been partitioned off for construction traffic. There is one entrance open to the MET/Ag parking lot.
March 28, 2023: The MET/Ag parking lot is now closed to allow the construction crews ample room to deliver the precast panels now being placed. We thank you for your patience during this phase.
March 20, 2023: Students and staff! Please see the “March Parking Disruption” information below that is slated to begin next week.
February 9, 2023: Work on both projects has picked up again with the steel delivery and noticeable progress is evident. Footings continue to be poured on the exterior foundation with good progress.
January 23, 2023: We’ve started to receive our steel shipments! Work will now start progressing at a faster pace. Workers were able to do some groundwork and pour footings on the Archway Project prior to the shipment.
December 8, 2022: The last parking lot has been completed on Arrow Avenue and parking issues on campus have been greatly reduced. As a reminder, everyone parking in an LATC parking lot space is required to have a parking permit. Tickets will be issued for vehicles without a permit. The steel delay continues and has impeded progress on the Diesel expansion and Archway projects.
October 17, 2022: The steel delay continues and has impeded progress on both projects. Curb and gutter work on a new 75-car parking lot on Bogue Avenue is complete. Curb and gutter work is complete on the new parking lot on the corner of Arrow Avenue and 13th Street. Asphalt work will begin soon, followed by striping. As a reminder, everyone parking in an LATC parking lot space is required to have a parking permit. Tickets will be issued for vehicles without a permit.
September 26, 2022: The steel delay continues and will impede the progress on both projects. Curb and gutter work on a new 75-car parking lot on Bogue Avenue is scheduled to begin. As a reminder, everyone parking in an LATC parking lot space is required to have a parking permit. Tickets will be issued for vehicles without a permit.
September 14, 2022: The new parking lot south of the Diesel expansion and the new parking lot where the Educare building was are both open!
August 29, 2022: In keeping with the times, we have been notified there is a delay in our steel delivery. This will likely slow down our progress on both projects but we’re optimistic it will be a short delay.
August 15, 2022: A portion of Arrow Avenue is now closed and construction areas are fenced off. This portion of the avenue will be closed until the project progresses to a point where it can safely reopen. Students, staff, and visitors may enter Arrow Avenue from the east to access the Student Center, MET building, and Ag/Environmental building main entrances. Please use alternative entrances if possible. Internal signage is posted for wayfinding.
Student Parking and Parking Decals
Lake Area Technical College students are required to have an official LATC Parking Decal on their vehicle to park on campus. The Parking Decal fee will be waived this year due to current campus expansion projects. Although the Parking Decals will be free, all students who wish to park on campus must have the decal on their vehicle(s) to avoid a parking ticket. If you do not have the Parking Decal visible on your vehicle, you will be ticketed and fined $50. Please see the campus map below to locate available parking during construction.
If you choose to park off-campus, please do not park in front of the neighboring residents’ mailboxes. There will be a fine from the city of Watertown. Overnight parking will not be allowed at any time.
Patrolling
The Lake Area Tech parking lots will be patrolled Monday through Friday from 7 am – 2 pm starting Tuesday, September 5th. All vehicles parked in a patrolled lot will need to have an LATC parking decal visible. Parking decals are to be placed on the OUTSIDE of the vehicle’s back window, driver’s side.
Two parking lots are unpatrolled and are open to all LATC students, dual credit high school students and Northeast Technical High School students. The North Parking Lot (north side of 3rd Ave NE) and the Bogue Parking Lot (corner of Bogue Ave and 13th St NE) do not require parking decals. However, a ticket may be issued for improper parking.
Registration for Decals/Temporary Permits
Students are to register their primary vehicle for a parking decal through MyPortal. Decals will be routed to the student’s program for pick-up in 1 – 2 business days. If a student needs to bring an alternate vehicle to campus, the student can park in one of the unpatrolled lots or request a temporary parking permit through the portal. For convenience, the student will be able to select from 6 locations to pick up their temporary permit.
Temporary Parking Permit Pick Up Locations:
- MET/Ag Building – Bonita Briggs
- Admissions Office – April Simon
- Registration/Financial Aid Office – Krystal Kadoun
- Library – Nikki Christensen
- Prairie Lakes Health Center (north end of campus) – Holly Miller
- Auto & Construction Building – Jessicca Geerdes
The objective for the parking decals and temporary permits is to ensure only LATC students are using the patrolled parking lots.
Link to request parking decals and temporary parking permits: https://my.lakeareatech.edu/ICS/Student/My_Vehicle.jnz
Online Students
Please register your vehicle for the free parking decal if you will be on campus during patrolling hours (Monday – Friday from 7 AM – 2 PM).
