Drillfield Paths Project

An oval-shaped, grassy stretch of land bordered by trees, Virginia Tech's Drillfield serves as the center of the Blacksburg campus and remains one of the most unique and storied locations at the university. The Drillfield Paths effort is part of a broader initiative supported by the Board of Visitors to develop a new master plan for the Drillfield that will preserve the beauty of the area while making it a more usable space.

In August 2015, fourteen different materials were under consideration for permanent installation and were installed on the Drillfield. Over the course of the 2015-16 academic year, the university monitored the performance of the different materials and sought community input via Twitter and on the project website.

A team of Virginia Tech faculty members has been challenged with inventing a new pathway material that can be used on the Drillfield. The research team received $75,000 in funding from the university to identify, test, and evaluate all weather and Americans with Disability Act (ADA) compliant solutions to enhance the green-space aesthetic and multi-use purpose of the Drillfield.

This research, along with the feedback collected from students, employees, and community members during the 2015-16 academic year, will be used by the Drillfield Paths Committee to develop a recommendation for a permanent solution.

Virginia Tech Project Manager
Jack Rosenberger

Construction Manager
Division of Campus Planning, Infrastructure, and Facilities

Architectural/Engineering (A/E)
Division of Campus Planning, Infrastructure, and Facilities

Project Status
Polling was completed in April 2016. Material research began in May 2016 and is in progress.

For additional information, contact Jack Rosenberger at 540-231-1844.