Indiana Notes

[billtm]

I think Lafayette could use an SR X65 expressway on the east side to help fill in the gaps. In my mind, it would tie into the Hoosier Heartland on one end, and US 231 on the other. This would help give US 52 a better routing, and give both SR 25 and SR 26 a routing, though not an efficient one for either of them.
Here's a picture I drew up a few years ago(Yes, I know, the zoom is quite far out )
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/OoGgZn19RZvU334bhj_5JN3oh5CuK8oB9_l1i7hwHqc2gPi-bBgDAfF51EbxxCIaobEKQ-hahoFB1mZdbT2VkMI0wLqJDDwZlp9Qjc0P0p3LkaBEe4V3LZqNkev0TsUKRmX_y6skazGoYJA3s1AmSdXH0N8Z1nUjpqoJ_xp1lZAE6Tt3UMkow2CQ4zgNTufk71xTXwM92EwIHzmruwyj3JDq0T4EOWf85FbRDB7tQO4lOVrJWKraf7TwwF0wvIwRzjJnS5KcJ3-bjw35CPsLGUHZYvpmsWwJ5w8RKX6wCD6bzUm1070s4Fd9Crx7KkuaLtDdel9C8uY21gjeNnnUd_SRZ16Yr_KrUCMbKf9xlyG3X4oDlJ3sTafeM0YoZm0lHddaXW2frEwRiqyzqS9dl1x7o-0lfoB0ojFbMgA6R_CwMpVTZ1tmG1xrVyc243xKzlHGilWP6Mr40r0Rbup1W3XDTW79nn4TG0nKpSkhhDtmklGvIiLKInLdr2-NUrisa_ywqgqDukVu7fOWGdXIEA4RzzE9L8C800hjDZFmFfwlgszThrnn-HqBunS5xKelif9SPYaZ3CXNzlWg_kzYbmlmol_0MZs=w988-h594-no
Also, I think that the US 231 bypass should be extended northward to I-65 in order to make Chicago access to the area better.
P.S. Google photos no longer puts the .png at the end of its urls, so I can't embed images anymore... 

[captkirk_4]

I think Lafayette could use an SR X65 expressway on the east side to help fill in the gaps. In my mind, it would tie into the Hoosier Heartland on one end, and US 231 on the other. This would help give US 52 a better routing, and give both SR 25 and SR 26 a routing, though not an efficient one for either of them.
Here's a picture I drew up a few years ago(Yes, I know, the zoom is quite far out )
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/OoGgZn19RZvU334bhj_5JN3oh5CuK8oB9_l1i7hwHqc2gPi-bBgDAfF51EbxxCIaobEKQ-hahoFB1mZdbT2VkMI0wLqJDDwZlp9Qjc0P0p3LkaBEe4V3LZqNkev0TsUKRmX_y6skazGoYJA3s1AmSdXH0N8Z1nUjpqoJ_xp1lZAE6Tt3UMkow2CQ4zgNTufk71xTXwM92EwIHzmruwyj3JDq0T4EOWf85FbRDB7tQO4lOVrJWKraf7TwwF0wvIwRzjJnS5KcJ3-bjw35CPsLGUHZYvpmsWwJ5w8RKX6wCD6bzUm1070s4Fd9Crx7KkuaLtDdel9C8uY21gjeNnnUd_SRZ16Yr_KrUCMbKf9xlyG3X4oDlJ3sTafeM0YoZm0lHddaXW2frEwRiqyzqS9dl1x7o-0lfoB0ojFbMgA6R_CwMpVTZ1tmG1xrVyc243xKzlHGilWP6Mr40r0Rbup1W3XDTW79nn4TG0nKpSkhhDtmklGvIiLKInLdr2-NUrisa_ywqgqDukVu7fOWGdXIEA4RzzE9L8C800hjDZFmFfwlgszThrnn-HqBunS5xKelif9SPYaZ3CXNzlWg_kzYbmlmol_0MZs=w988-h594-no
Also, I think that the US 231 bypass should be extended northward to I-65 in order to make Chicago access to the area better.
P.S. Google photos no longer puts the .png at the end of its urls, so I can't embed images anymore... 

I noticed that the route from Champaign to Ft Wayne is really terrible trying to get through Lafayette, the best seems to be 231 to Veterans, 38 over to I65 and then to the Hoosier Highway. Also tried staying on US 24 all the way across Indiana to I-57 but once it goes down to two lanes west of Logansport you crawl through every small and medium sized town and was probably even worse.

[billtm]

I think Lafayette could use an SR X65 expressway on the east side to help fill in the gaps. In my mind, it would tie into the Hoosier Heartland on one end, and US 231 on the other. This would help give US 52 a better routing, and give both SR 25 and SR 26 a routing, though not an efficient one for either of them.
Here's a picture I drew up a few years ago(Yes, I know, the zoom is quite far out )
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/OoGgZn19RZvU334bhj_5JN3oh5CuK8oB9_l1i7hwHqc2gPi-bBgDAfF51EbxxCIaobEKQ-hahoFB1mZdbT2VkMI0wLqJDDwZlp9Qjc0P0p3LkaBEe4V3LZqNkev0TsUKRmX_y6skazGoYJA3s1AmSdXH0N8Z1nUjpqoJ_xp1lZAE6Tt3UMkow2CQ4zgNTufk71xTXwM92EwIHzmruwyj3JDq0T4EOWf85FbRDB7tQO4lOVrJWKraf7TwwF0wvIwRzjJnS5KcJ3-bjw35CPsLGUHZYvpmsWwJ5w8RKX6wCD6bzUm1070s4Fd9Crx7KkuaLtDdel9C8uY21gjeNnnUd_SRZ16Yr_KrUCMbKf9xlyG3X4oDlJ3sTafeM0YoZm0lHddaXW2frEwRiqyzqS9dl1x7o-0lfoB0ojFbMgA6R_CwMpVTZ1tmG1xrVyc243xKzlHGilWP6Mr40r0Rbup1W3XDTW79nn4TG0nKpSkhhDtmklGvIiLKInLdr2-NUrisa_ywqgqDukVu7fOWGdXIEA4RzzE9L8C800hjDZFmFfwlgszThrnn-HqBunS5xKelif9SPYaZ3CXNzlWg_kzYbmlmol_0MZs=w988-h594-no
Also, I think that the US 231 bypass should be extended northward to I-65 in order to make Chicago access to the area better.
P.S. Google photos no longer puts the .png at the end of its urls, so I can't embed images anymore... 

I noticed that the route from Champaign to Ft Wayne is really terrible trying to get through Lafayette, the best seems to be 231 to Veterans, 38 over to I65 and then to the Hoosier Highway. Also tried staying on US 24 all the way across Indiana to I-57 but once it goes down to two lanes west of Logansport you crawl through every small and medium sized town and was probably even worse.

I used Google Maps and was really shocked to see that they would have you cut through downtown. After taking the exit for IN-25 north, they have you take a left on CR S100W, right on Elston, left on Old Romney which then turns into Wabash. Next, take a right on South, then left on 4th which then turns into Fannon, and then becomes Greenbush. Finally, take a left on 15th which becomes Schuyler to get out of Lafayatte.
What a fckd up routing...

[PurdueBill]

I think Lafayette could use an SR X65 expressway on the east side to help fill in the gaps. In my mind, it would tie into the Hoosier Heartland on one end, and US 231 on the other. This would help give US 52 a better routing, and give both SR 25 and SR 26 a routing, though not an efficient one for either of them.
Here's a picture I drew up a few years ago(Yes, I know, the zoom is quite far out )
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/OoGgZn19RZvU334bhj_5JN3oh5CuK8oB9_l1i7hwHqc2gPi-bBgDAfF51EbxxCIaobEKQ-hahoFB1mZdbT2VkMI0wLqJDDwZlp9Qjc0P0p3LkaBEe4V3LZqNkev0TsUKRmX_y6skazGoYJA3s1AmSdXH0N8Z1nUjpqoJ_xp1lZAE6Tt3UMkow2CQ4zgNTufk71xTXwM92EwIHzmruwyj3JDq0T4EOWf85FbRDB7tQO4lOVrJWKraf7TwwF0wvIwRzjJnS5KcJ3-bjw35CPsLGUHZYvpmsWwJ5w8RKX6wCD6bzUm1070s4Fd9Crx7KkuaLtDdel9C8uY21gjeNnnUd_SRZ16Yr_KrUCMbKf9xlyG3X4oDlJ3sTafeM0YoZm0lHddaXW2frEwRiqyzqS9dl1x7o-0lfoB0ojFbMgA6R_CwMpVTZ1tmG1xrVyc243xKzlHGilWP6Mr40r0Rbup1W3XDTW79nn4TG0nKpSkhhDtmklGvIiLKInLdr2-NUrisa_ywqgqDukVu7fOWGdXIEA4RzzE9L8C800hjDZFmFfwlgszThrnn-HqBunS5xKelif9SPYaZ3CXNzlWg_kzYbmlmol_0MZs=w988-h594-no
Also, I think that the US 231 bypass should be extended northward to I-65 in order to make Chicago access to the area better.
P.S. Google photos no longer puts the .png at the end of its urls, so I can't embed images anymore... 

I noticed that the route from Champaign to Ft Wayne is really terrible trying to get through Lafayette, the best seems to be 231 to Veterans, 38 over to I65 and then to the Hoosier Highway. Also tried staying on US 24 all the way across Indiana to I-57 but once it goes down to two lanes west of Logansport you crawl through every small and medium sized town and was probably even worse.

I used Google Maps and was really shocked to see that they would have you cut through downtown. After taking the exit for IN-25 north, they have you take a left on CR S100W, right on Elston, left on Old Romney which then turns into Wabash. Next, take a right on South, then left on 4th which then turns into Fannon, and then becomes Greenbush. Finally, take a left on 15th which becomes Schuyler to get out of Lafayatte.
What a fckd up routing...

What are they thinking? Why not at worst follow the old routing of 231 (S 4th St) to the old routing of 26 (South St eastbound; Columbia St westbound from Main near Five Points if coming from that way) to the old routing of 25 (on Sagamore Pkwy, then right at Schuyler)?  Oh yeah, can't have route numbers anywhere they might make sense for people traveling a distance or going from one side of town to the other. Gotta go to GPS and let it calculate bonkers crap.

The Google routing is an example of the stupidity of INDOT getting rid of the route numbers across town.  As it is right now, the Hoosier Heartland route ties to I-65 okay, but what about traffic coming from the Champaign direction southwest of Lafayette? There is currently no thru route that makes any sense that is blazed with any numbering--38 now ends short of 52 by a block on the east side, 25 and 26 are discontinuous, 43 ends at 65 instead of coming down to meet 231/52 on South River or something--everything is whacked. The best way might possibly be to take the new 231 to near the new Meijer and turn right on old 52 down to Schuyler and turn left--but that is not a blazed trail anymore (and has the bridge construction going on right now with one lane each way to boot).  The route numbers being posted would have at least allowed for something like "taking 231 northbound to 25 northbound" and letting the signs do the talking, instead of inane GPS guesses on numerous city streets.

[mukade]

I think the only realistic hope is for INDOT to complete the western bypass up to I-65 which I think will connect at SR 43. It may not be as direct as we would want for a connection to the Hoosier Heartland from the south, but it would be a huge improvement - assuming stoplights would be kept to a minimum.

If you look at a map, the only value of US 231 north of Lafayette is an a alternate to I-65 so why the US highway designation on it? Also, US 421 looks like it should end at I-74 in Greensburg. If that US 231 bypass in Lafayette is ever extended north, that would be a chance to re-route US 231 to SR 43 and US 421 to Michigan City. The value of some of the US routes in Indiana is questionable, at best.

BTW, it seems that about two thirds of a mile of US 35 in Kokomo may be decommissioned. It might be worth a note to INDOT to confirm, but this is the way it is:
- east of the US 31 freeway, the US 35 is not marked until CR 300E where the signs say "BEGIN" SR 22 and SOUTH US 35. Other than the US 31 bypass itself and one green sign on Markland Ave., US 35 signs do no not exist in Kokomo.
-  SR 22 was turned over to Kokomo, and the city re-striped the former SR 22 road this year including the part of the road that supposedly carries US 35 from US 31 to the Kokomo city limits on the east side

So is this the first US highway gap? Markland Avenue appears to be maintained by the City of Kokomo including that section that supposedly carries US 35, and there is no US 35 signage on that part. On the other hand, there is not any "END" or "BEGIN" signage for US 35 as there is for SR 22. It is just a weird situation, but more evidence of needing to get rid of an unnecessary US highway designation. Who would ever take US 35 for long distance travel anyway?

[silverback1065]

I think the only realistic hope is for INDOT to complete the western bypass up to I-65 which I think will connect at SR 43. It may not be as direct as we would want for a connection to the Hoosier Heartland from the south, but it would be a huge improvement - assuming stoplights would be kept to a minimum.

If you look at a map, the only value of US 231 north of Lafayette is an a alternate to I-65 so why the US highway designation on it? Also, US 421 looks like it should end at I-74 in Greensburg. If that US 231 bypass in Lafayette is ever extended north, that would be a chance to re-route US 231 to SR 43 and US 421 to Michigan City. The value of some of the US routes in Indiana is questionable, at best.

BTW, it seems that about two thirds of a mile of US 35 in Kokomo may be decommissioned. It might be worth a note to INDOT to confirm, but this is the way it is:
- east of the US 31 freeway, the US 35 is not marked until CR 300E where the signs say "BEGIN" SR 22 and SOUTH US 35. Other than the US 31 bypass itself and one green sign on Markland Ave., US 35 signs do no not exist in Kokomo.
-  SR 22 was turned over to Kokomo, and the city re-striped the former SR 22 road this year including the part of the road that supposedly carries US 35 from US 31 to the Kokomo city limits on the east side

So is this the first US highway gap? Markland Avenue appears to be maintained by the City of Kokomo including that section that supposedly carries US 35, and there is no US 35 signage on that part. On the other hand, there is not any "END" or "BEGIN" signage for US 35 as there is for SR 22. It is just a weird situation, but more evidence of needing to get rid of an unnecessary US highway designation. Who would ever take US 35 for long distance travel anyway?

US 35 is cosigned with 31 from the split just north of the city down to markland, that's how they fill the gap, SR 22 is still discontinuous and useless imo. also US 231 is unnecessary north of lafayette, same with 421 north of greensburg. the portion north of 465 should be SR 29. 

[silverback1065]

honestly us 421 has one of the most bizarre routings in the state. and it's not even signed at the i-74 exit with 465 for some reason.  side note, us 35 is completely useless in indiana. so is us 33 honestly

[NWI_Irish96]

I think you guys are making too big of a deal about the distinction between US and state highways.  The highways that we now know as US 33, 35 and 421 have been called that for a long time now and changing them just because they no longer seem important enough to be US Highways seems frivolous to me.  It doesn't really matter that nobody would follow the routing of US 35 to get from Richmond to Michigan City.  The people who use all of the various parts of US 35 are used to the road being known as US 35 and changing it just to satisfy road geeks doesn't really make sense.

[PurdueBill]

I think you guys are making too big of a deal about the distinction between US and state highways.  The highways that we now know as US 33, 35 and 421 have been called that for a long time now and changing them just because they no longer seem important enough to be US Highways seems frivolous to me.  It doesn't really matter that nobody would follow the routing of US 35 to get from Richmond to Michigan City.  The people who use all of the various parts of US 35 are used to the road being known as US 35 and changing it just to satisfy road geeks doesn't really make sense.

INDOT even makes note of that on the state maps--they have always mentioned something to the effect of "US Routes are shown in red but are not always the shortest or best routes between points"....basically saying that US routes are not anything special necessarily.  Might as well leave them alone and not renumber just for the sake of renumbering.

[tdindy88]

honestly us 421 has one of the most bizarre routings in the state. and it's not even signed at the i-74 exit with 465 for some reason.  side note, us 35 is completely useless in indiana. so is us 33 honestly

I don't see how US 33 is useless. That highway is part of the National Highway System and connects Elkhart County (one of the top 10 in Indiana by population) and Fort Wayne (2nd largest city.) US 35 however could stop in Muncie and US 421 in Greensburg. That said, what I think they should do is just get rid of SR 22 altogether. Decommission the part from Kokomo west to SR 29 or make it a spur of SR 29, and do the same with the stretch of roadway from I-69 to Upland (a spur of SR 5 in this case.) I don't think two three-digit highways are going to get people here too crazed and we can at least get rid of that long multiplex.

[mukade]

US 35 is cosigned with 31 from the split just north of the city down to markland, that's how they fill the gap, SR 22 is still discontinuous and useless imo. also US 231 is unnecessary north of lafayette, same with 421 north of greensburg. the portion north of 465 should be SR 29. 

No - the US 35 gap is east of the US 31 freeway for 2/3 of a mile. As for SR 22, it does also exist east of I-69 and west of Kokomo.

honestly us 421 has one of the most bizarre routings in the state. and it's not even signed at the i-74 exit with 465 for some reason.  side note, us 35 is completely useless in indiana. so is us 33 honestly

US 33 is the direct connection between Fort Wayne and Elkhart so that designation has some marginal value.

I think you guys are making too big of a deal about the distinction between US and state highways.  The highways that we now know as US 33, 35 and 421 have been called that for a long time now and changing them just because they no longer seem important enough to be US Highways seems frivolous to me.  It doesn't really matter that nobody would follow the routing of US 35 to get from Richmond to Michigan City.  The people who use all of the various parts of US 35 are used to the road being known as US 35 and changing it just to satisfy road geeks doesn't really make sense.

Well, the original point was there now seems to be a discontinuous US highway - even if it is a short gap.

US highways were meant to provide consistent numbering for highways before the Interstate age. US 35 replaced all or parts of SR 29, SR 17, and SR 21. US 421 replaced parts of SR 43 and SR 29. People travelling from Michigan City to Richmond may have actually driven US 35 all the way in 1955. Today, I bet most people would take US 35 to US 30 to US 31 to I-65 to I-70. So if it has no meaning, why would you think that it does not matter? BTW, I live two blocks from US 35, and we all call it "22", not "35" or "19". For those sections that are not concurrent with another route, why not just make it SR 35. US 421 is just plain silly.

To me, it comes down to thinking about the reason we have highway route numbers in the first place. If a routing no longer serves its intended purpose, why should it exist anymore? If route numbers could change once (from SR to US), why can't they change back? There have been states (Michigan and California come to mind) that have gotton rid of useless US highway designations.

honestly us 421 has one of the most bizarre routings in the state. and it's not even signed at the i-74 exit with 465 for some reason.  side note, us 35 is completely useless in indiana. so is us 33 honestly

I don't see how US 33 is useless. That highway is part of the National Highway System and connects Elkhart County (one of the top 10 in Indiana by population) and Fort Wayne (2nd largest city.) US 35 however could stop in Muncie and US 421 in Greensburg. That said, what I think they should do is just get rid of SR 22 altogether. Decommission the part from Kokomo west to SR 29 or make it a spur of SR 29, and do the same with the stretch of roadway from I-69 to Upland (a spur of SR 5 in this case.) I don't think two three-digit highways are going to get people here too crazed and we can at least get rid of that long multiplex.

Why would we want another E-W highway with only an odd number like SR 47? I assume the reason why SR 22 was not replaced by the US 35 designation was so that it could be marked with proper cardinal directions.

[tdindy88]

US 35 is a diagonal route across Indiana, perhaps the route should be given some flexibility on which cardinal direction is used, sign it east-west along its multiplex with SR 22, number be damned. Sign it east-west across northern Delaware County as well, sign it north-south for all other stretches. Driving that road, I'd be more interested in what direction I'm traveling than whether or not the highway number ends in an odd or even digit. I know it's the Indiana system to do things that way but perhaps a little flexibility could be used. Besides, SR 446 which clearly travels north to south from SR 46 to US 50 is signed east-west because it ends in an even number. When I'm traveling to Lake Monroe from Bloomington I sure as hell ain't driving east.

Or we could get rid of US 35 and sign the highways SR 17, 21 and 29. And bring back SR 35, why the hell not, no Hoosier would bitch about that.

[silverback1065]

Does anyone know the original ending of SR 135 (former 35) in Indianapolis? 

[tdindy88]

I believe it would be roughly at the intersection of Madison Avenue and South Street where Madison becomes Meridian Street (just south of Union Station.) It appears on some old city maps that SR 35 (and then 135) broke off onto Meridian Street and went south from there where US 31 followed Madison Avenue.

[silverback1065]

interesting. on another note, google maps has been redone again, the look is weird and washed out.

[dvferyance]

I think Lafayette could use an SR X65 expressway on the east side to help fill in the gaps. In my mind, it would tie into the Hoosier Heartland on one end, and US 231 on the other. This would help give US 52 a better routing, and give both SR 25 and SR 26 a routing, though not an efficient one for either of them.
Here's a picture I drew up a few years ago(Yes, I know, the zoom is quite far out )
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/OoGgZn19RZvU334bhj_5JN3oh5CuK8oB9_l1i7hwHqc2gPi-bBgDAfF51EbxxCIaobEKQ-hahoFB1mZdbT2VkMI0wLqJDDwZlp9Qjc0P0p3LkaBEe4V3LZqNkev0TsUKRmX_y6skazGoYJA3s1AmSdXH0N8Z1nUjpqoJ_xp1lZAE6Tt3UMkow2CQ4zgNTufk71xTXwM92EwIHzmruwyj3JDq0T4EOWf85FbRDB7tQO4lOVrJWKraf7TwwF0wvIwRzjJnS5KcJ3-bjw35CPsLGUHZYvpmsWwJ5w8RKX6wCD6bzUm1070s4Fd9Crx7KkuaLtDdel9C8uY21gjeNnnUd_SRZ16Yr_KrUCMbKf9xlyG3X4oDlJ3sTafeM0YoZm0lHddaXW2frEwRiqyzqS9dl1x7o-0lfoB0ojFbMgA6R_CwMpVTZ1tmG1xrVyc243xKzlHGilWP6Mr40r0Rbup1W3XDTW79nn4TG0nKpSkhhDtmklGvIiLKInLdr2-NUrisa_ywqgqDukVu7fOWGdXIEA4RzzE9L8C800hjDZFmFfwlgszThrnn-HqBunS5xKelif9SPYaZ3CXNzlWg_kzYbmlmol_0MZs=w988-h594-no
Also, I think that the US 231 bypass should be extended northward to I-65 in order to make Chicago access to the area better.
P.S. Google photos no longer puts the .png at the end of its urls, so I can't embed images anymore... 

Just reroute IN-26 on the old US 52 it bypasses the heart of the city. The gap is gone problem solved.

[NWI_Irish96]

I think you guys are making too big of a deal about the distinction between US and state highways.  The highways that we now know as US 33, 35 and 421 have been called that for a long time now and changing them just because they no longer seem important enough to be US Highways seems frivolous to me.  It doesn't really matter that nobody would follow the routing of US 35 to get from Richmond to Michigan City.  The people who use all of the various parts of US 35 are used to the road being known as US 35 and changing it just to satisfy road geeks doesn't really make sense.

Well, the original point was there now seems to be a discontinuous US highway - even if it is a short gap.

US highways were meant to provide consistent numbering for highways before the Interstate age. US 35 replaced all or parts of SR 29, SR 17, and SR 21. US 421 replaced parts of SR 43 and SR 29. People travelling from Michigan City to Richmond may have actually driven US 35 all the way in 1955. Today, I bet most people would take US 35 to US 30 to US 31 to I-65 to I-70. So if it has no meaning, why would you think that it does not matter? BTW, I live two blocks from US 35, and we all call it "22", not "35" or "19". For those sections that are not concurrent with another route, why not just make it SR 35. US 421 is just plain silly.

When the Federal Government created the US Highway system, the expense and inconvenience of changing the numbers of established highways was necessary.  Now it is not.  It would be a huge waste of money to re-sign a bunch of roads just to make a numbering system make a little bit more sense.

[NWI_Irish96]

US 35 is a diagonal route across Indiana, perhaps the route should be given some flexibility on which cardinal direction is used, sign it east-west along its multiplex with SR 22, number be damned. Sign it east-west across northern Delaware County as well, sign it north-south for all other stretches. Driving that road, I'd be more interested in what direction I'm traveling than whether or not the highway number ends in an odd or even digit. I know it's the Indiana system to do things that way but perhaps a little flexibility could be used. Besides, SR 446 which clearly travels north to south from SR 46 to US 50 is signed east-west because it ends in an even number. When I'm traveling to Lake Monroe from Bloomington I sure as hell ain't driving east.

Or we could get rid of US 35 and sign the highways SR 17, 21 and 29. And bring back SR 35, why the hell not, no Hoosier would bitch about that.

Taxpayers paying for unnecessary signs would bitch about that.

[silverback1065]

I think Lafayette could use an SR X65 expressway on the east side to help fill in the gaps. In my mind, it would tie into the Hoosier Heartland on one end, and US 231 on the other. This would help give US 52 a better routing, and give both SR 25 and SR 26 a routing, though not an efficient one for either of them.
Here's a picture I drew up a few years ago(Yes, I know, the zoom is quite far out )
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/OoGgZn19RZvU334bhj_5JN3oh5CuK8oB9_l1i7hwHqc2gPi-bBgDAfF51EbxxCIaobEKQ-hahoFB1mZdbT2VkMI0wLqJDDwZlp9Qjc0P0p3LkaBEe4V3LZqNkev0TsUKRmX_y6skazGoYJA3s1AmSdXH0N8Z1nUjpqoJ_xp1lZAE6Tt3UMkow2CQ4zgNTufk71xTXwM92EwIHzmruwyj3JDq0T4EOWf85FbRDB7tQO4lOVrJWKraf7TwwF0wvIwRzjJnS5KcJ3-bjw35CPsLGUHZYvpmsWwJ5w8RKX6wCD6bzUm1070s4Fd9Crx7KkuaLtDdel9C8uY21gjeNnnUd_SRZ16Yr_KrUCMbKf9xlyG3X4oDlJ3sTafeM0YoZm0lHddaXW2frEwRiqyzqS9dl1x7o-0lfoB0ojFbMgA6R_CwMpVTZ1tmG1xrVyc243xKzlHGilWP6Mr40r0Rbup1W3XDTW79nn4TG0nKpSkhhDtmklGvIiLKInLdr2-NUrisa_ywqgqDukVu7fOWGdXIEA4RzzE9L8C800hjDZFmFfwlgszThrnn-HqBunS5xKelif9SPYaZ3CXNzlWg_kzYbmlmol_0MZs=w988-h594-no
Also, I think that the US 231 bypass should be extended northward to I-65 in order to make Chicago access to the area better.
P.S. Google photos no longer puts the .png at the end of its urls, so I can't embed images anymore... 

Just reroute IN-26 on the old US 52 it bypasses the heart of the city. The gap is gone problem solved.

The original plan was to leave 52 alone and throw 26 onto it to bypass the city, then INDOT decided they'd rather fuck it up more and changed it to the mess we have now.

[dvferyance]

I think Lafayette could use an SR X65 expressway on the east side to help fill in the gaps. In my mind, it would tie into the Hoosier Heartland on one end, and US 231 on the other. This would help give US 52 a better routing, and give both SR 25 and SR 26 a routing, though not an efficient one for either of them.
Here's a picture I drew up a few years ago(Yes, I know, the zoom is quite far out )
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/OoGgZn19RZvU334bhj_5JN3oh5CuK8oB9_l1i7hwHqc2gPi-bBgDAfF51EbxxCIaobEKQ-hahoFB1mZdbT2VkMI0wLqJDDwZlp9Qjc0P0p3LkaBEe4V3LZqNkev0TsUKRmX_y6skazGoYJA3s1AmSdXH0N8Z1nUjpqoJ_xp1lZAE6Tt3UMkow2CQ4zgNTufk71xTXwM92EwIHzmruwyj3JDq0T4EOWf85FbRDB7tQO4lOVrJWKraf7TwwF0wvIwRzjJnS5KcJ3-bjw35CPsLGUHZYvpmsWwJ5w8RKX6wCD6bzUm1070s4Fd9Crx7KkuaLtDdel9C8uY21gjeNnnUd_SRZ16Yr_KrUCMbKf9xlyG3X4oDlJ3sTafeM0YoZm0lHddaXW2frEwRiqyzqS9dl1x7o-0lfoB0ojFbMgA6R_CwMpVTZ1tmG1xrVyc243xKzlHGilWP6Mr40r0Rbup1W3XDTW79nn4TG0nKpSkhhDtmklGvIiLKInLdr2-NUrisa_ywqgqDukVu7fOWGdXIEA4RzzE9L8C800hjDZFmFfwlgszThrnn-HqBunS5xKelif9SPYaZ3CXNzlWg_kzYbmlmol_0MZs=w988-h594-no
Also, I think that the US 231 bypass should be extended northward to I-65 in order to make Chicago access to the area better.
P.S. Google photos no longer puts the .png at the end of its urls, so I can't embed images anymore... 

Just reroute IN-26 on the old US 52 it bypasses the heart of the city. The gap is gone problem solved.

The original plan was to leave 52 alone and throw 26 onto it to bypass the city, then INDOT decided they'd rather fuck it up more and changed it to the mess we have now.

Hopefully this split routes will be done away with one day. They are just insane.

[silverback1065]

does anyone know what the original routing of US 31 was between downtown indy and downtown carmel?  Rangeline road used to be 31 a long long time ago how did it jump from meridian to rangeline?

[tdindy88]

Westfield Blvd from Meridian St north to the Hamilton County line, where it becomes Rangeline.

[silverback1065]

Westfield Blvd from Meridian St north to the Hamilton County line, where it becomes Rangeline.

that makes sense. that must have been a LONG time ago.  I'm assuming westfield blvd went through as a thoroughfare in broad ripple

[billtm]

Westfield Blvd from Meridian St north to the Hamilton County line, where it becomes Rangeline.

that makes sense. that must have been a LONG time ago.  I'm assuming westfield blvd went through as a thoroughfare in broad ripple

Yep. Though I'm not sure whether or not that tiny riverfront segment was wider and part of US 31 in the past or not.

[ysuindy]

Looks like the Smart Streets project will push me to try some different approaches to and from Notre Dame on football Saturdays. 

I often end up weaving my way over to Miami Street after the game to avoid the traffic through downtown, but I've always gone straight up Michigan before the game.    The first few gamedays with new two way traffic should be a total cluster.  I'm guessing the gains I've made in reducing travel time with the upgrades to 31 are going to be given back inside South Bend.

Even before the changes, best way to beat Gameday traffic is to turn right off Michigan at Ireland.  Take Ireland to Miami and turn left.  Take Miami to Ridgeland Ridgedale and turn right, and then an immediate left onto Twyckenham.  Twyckenham is always the least crowded N-S street that gets you close to campus.

FIFY. As a South Bend resident. I agree that that's a good route. Just don't speed through the neighborhood, please.

I'm usually early enough before the games and parking in the neighborhood south of campus, that going up Michigan has not been an issue.

My departure route this last year became working my way down to Northside, across the Eddy Street bridge and over to Miami.  Your suggested route has given me another departure option.  I will need to check that out in a few weeks when I am back on campus.

I know they convert several streets near campus to one way on gamedays.  I suppose they could do something similar downtown, but that would take some significant police manpower to accomplish.  It will be interesting to see what guidance South Bend PD and Notre Dame provide prior to the first game.

Ha, yeah I used to live near a Ridgleand Ave in another city so that's why I got that mixed up.

Northside is excellent for getting yourself from one side of Eddy St to the other.  If I'm ever parked west of Eddy, I'll work my way down to Northside and then over to Twyckenham (though Northside passes under Twyckenham so you have to cut over through a neighborhood.

I've never, ever run into traffic problems going that way to leave the stadium. 

And today comes a story from WNDU that indicates the Smart Streets project will not be complete until November 15.  The story indicates they will convert Michigan and Main to two way traffic between Chippewa and Sample by September 10.  The remaining sections will not be completely switched over until November

http://www.wndu.com/content/news/Some-push-for-Smart-Streets-weekend-evening-work-390961391.html

I was in South Bend last Wednesday.  Michigan was mostly striped for two way traffic up to Sample.  The roundabout at Chippewa was open.   I could tell whether they had done any striping on Main as the road was closed due to flooding.  The small section I was on had not be striped.  There was also a huge hole in the pavement near the Burger King on Main.  I knew then the project could not possibly be completed by September 10.

I will be heeding all the advice above for football games this year - looking like we could have a total cluster, especially when southbound post game traffic on Main will go from three lanes to one at Sample.