Colfax Avenue re-pavement project soon to be underway in South Bend, preparation begins April 13
SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Part of Colfax Avenue is shutting down for a nearly $8 million streetscape improvement project.
Road closure and detour signs could be seen throughout Downtown South Bend. This is something you'll have to get used to starting Monday, April 13.
Tim Corcoran, Director of Planning with the City of South Bend, explains.
"Pedestrian safety elements are being added, and just looking at a full re-pavement of Colfax from the river to Eddy street. It'll look very similar to LaSalle Avenue, and some of the work that we've done there. We'll have pedestrian crossings at the River Trail and the East Bank Trail, raised intersections at Sycamore Street and Niles Avenue," Corcoran explained.
He tells ABC57 the nearly $8 million project will help with city walkability and pedestrian safety.
"One bigger noticeable change, there will be a little bit more additional on-street parking through this area, as well as some of those speed control elements of the raised crosswalks and raised intersections that'll help control speeds."
His advice to those driving downtown, become familiar with alternate routes.
"You'll have to look at alternative streets to use to come into Downtown, Jefferson and LaSalle being the preference from the east side. The project will last through the end of the fall. It is the full construction season, and we do ask that folks have a little bit of patience with us as we work through this project," said Corcoran.
Corcoran says homes and businesses will remain accessible through construction.
"There will be signage put up so that people will be able to find their way to those, those businesses and properties. So, there will be elements of the street that are open. And then what typically happens is they switch to the other side of the road. They do one side first, and the other side second."
The detour signs seen downtown on Monday were for utility work. NIPSCO is working to relocate some gas lines before the full construction begins on Monday, April 20.