Angela Boulevard traffic calming work begins Monday

 

SOUTH BEND, Ind.-- Starting Monday, Angela Boulevard is getting a facelift. The project is a partnership between the City of South Bend and the University of Notre Dame, which will share the $3.2 million development.

 “The Angela Boulevard Improvement Project is meant to calm traffic and improve pedestrian and bike safety along the bike corridor," said Jitin Kain, Deputy Director of the Public Works Department.

“Sometimes the areas where the pedestrians cross are not wide enough, so we’re making changes such as adding bump outs to reduce the crossing distance. We’re making the medians a little bit wider to the refuge islands are a little bit wider and safer for pedestrians," Kain continued.

An example of a bump out can be found at the intersection of Jefferson and Lafayette in downtown South Bend.

But an even bigger change is coming to Angela Boulevard.

"One of the things we’re doing with Angela is we’re converting it into a three-lane segment; two travel lanes, one center turning lane," Kain said.

To clarify, the roads won't get narrower.

“We’re not changing all the curbline," Kain said. "We will do some curb modifications at intersections, but during special events and game days, it will allow us to still maintain the corridor as a four-lane corridor when needed.”

ABC57 spoke with one Notre Dame senior who uses his bicycle to get around.

“Like, every single day like to and from school and then sometimes, I bike here to get groceries," Alex Lin said.

He said he sees the changes as a net positive for the highly foot-trafficked Eddy Street Commons.

“I definitely feel like on Eddy Street, because a lot of kids come here after classes, there’s like housing here too for kids," Lin said. "I feel like definitely this part would be a lot better for students walking to and from.”

The first order of business, again, beginning Monday, is connecting the walking, and biking path that has a gap along the Angela Boulevard side of the Notre Dame Golf Course.

Essentially, they will finish the sidewalk between Pokagon and Michigan Street. This offers connectivity to the Coal Line Trail.

"It's an opportunity for people to get to different places, it's for recreation, it's for wellness, and by creating loops in our transportation system, certainly with bike connectivity, it's just a great way to get people out and about on our trail system," Kain said.

The work is expected to wrap in mid-July. The road will remain open throughout.