Construction began Tuesday, June 9, on a Pearl Street sidewalk adjacent to the Eugene Federal Building after a federal project to install temporary fencing blocked the existing sidewalk.

The city of Eugene project near the southeast corner of Sixth Avenue and Pearl Street will cost about $50,000 in local road funds.

The fence, which closes off most of the building’s plaza, went up nearly three months after a Jan. 30 protest that Eugene police declared a riot following property damage to the federal building.

During sidewalk construction, expected to last until about June 23, drivers can expect intermittent closures of the east lane of Pearl Street, a one-way street southbound. During construction, pedestrians are directed to use the sidewalk along the west side of Pearl Street.

Ahead of installing the fence, a federal General Services Administration spokesperson said the barrier was “necessary to ensure the continued safety and security of the building occupants and the facility itself.”

Local activists have filed a lawsuit seeking removal of the fence, stating it infringes on rights of assembly and free speech at a site of frequent protests.

Before fence installation, the city installed a temporary barrier to create a walkway in place of a small parking inlet that previously occupied the space. The new sidewalk construction replaces that temporary pedestrian route.

“The City knows this corridor is an important downtown connector to the riverfront and market districts, and the City is committed to ensuring there is no interruption of safe, protected route for pedestrians, including those using mobility devices such as wheelchairs,” Eugene officials said in a news release.