Raleigh Mayor Charles Meeker, Chancellor James Oblinger and other dignitaries from across the Triangle area gathered Wednesday near the Bell Tower to celebrate the beginning of the Hillsborough Street construction project.

The project, which began its planning phase in 1998, will bring a roundabout to replace the traffic light at the intersection of Hillsborough Street and Pullen Road, and will also include new LED pedestrian and traffic lights and underground water and electrical utilities.

“Hillsborough street is coming back in a big way,” Oblinger said. “Today’s groundbreaking historically puts this vision that we’ve all planned for and talked about for so long into action.”

The founder of the Hillsborough Street Partnership, Nina Szlosberg, said she anticipates the completed project will unite the student body with other residents of Raleigh.

“It will create a public space where students can come and mingle with the rest of the community,” Szlosberg said. “Students will have something they can be proud of.”

Szlosberg said while the immediate impact on the University is traffic headaches, the finished project will be worth the sacrifice.

“Anything in life that’s good comes with a little bit of work,” Szlosberg said. “We’re going to have to go through 12, maybe 18 months when it’s going to take a little bit to navigate the street and find somewhere to park.”

Szlosberg said she thinks the new look for the street will represent the coming together of the City of Raleigh and the University to create an area for citizens and students to fraternize, dine and be entertained.

“We’re embarking down a great, new road,” Szlosberg said. “I think it’s going to be really good.”