Indiana Notes

[silverback1065]

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.

So what makes these "smart streets"

[NWI_Irish96]

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.

I never use Main for heading south after a game anyway.  I always get myself to Twyckenham or Miami. 

[ysuindy]

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.

I never use Main for heading south after a game anyway.  I always get myself to Twyckenham or Miami. 

Leaving immediately after the game, Miami has always been my choice, although after the USC game last year was able to just head down Main. 

[silverback1065]

Does anyone have a link or just information on what's going on?  all I know is that the oneways are going 2 way and i've heard about roundabouts somewhere. 

[silverback1065]

on a different note, i fear the new 106th st interchange will seriously fuck up traffic on 69/37.  I hope they force traffic trying to go north on 69 to stay in the c/d to 116th and 37.

[theline]

Does anyone have a link or just information on what's going on?  all I know is that the oneways are going 2 way and i've heard about roundabouts somewhere.

Here you go: https://smartstreets.southbendin.gov/

I'm amused by you whiners complaining about dealing with it a few times this fall. I've had to deal with it every day for months, since I work in downtown South Bend. 

So what makes these "smart streets"

Absolutely nothing IMHO. Main and Michigan Streets are vital thoroughfares through downtown, and this project will choke them down to almost nothing. The mayor and council were trying to do something to revitalize downtown, so they hired a consultant. The consultant sells some nostalgic ideas about creating space for bikers and pedestrians. Building that space won't make them come. Once they paid millions to the consultant, they were pretty much stuck with his advice.

[silverback1065]

Sounds like "smart streets" was nothing more than hot air then

Nexus 6P

[cjw2001]

on a different note, i fear the new 106th st interchange will seriously fuck up traffic on 69/37.  I hope they force traffic trying to go north on 69 to stay in the c/d to 116th and 37.

Looking at the project diagram it shows a solid white line separating the traffic bound for 116th starting prior to the merge of the 106th entering traffic.  So I'd say yes on your c/d question.

https://secure.in.gov/indot/files/GFD_ProjectLocationMap.pdf

[ysuindy]

I'm amused by you whiners complaining about dealing with it a few times this fall. I've had to deal with it every day for months, since I work in downtown South Bend. 

[/quote]

Hey, its all about me 

In all seriousness, I was thinking Wednesday about how much of a pain in the ass it had to be to deal with that construction on a daily basis. 

And Yeah, I struggle to see how this will change anything as far as downtown business.  I hope I'm wrong, but it will be a long slog that will require a lot of investment in new construction to get new businesses open on Main and Michigan.

[theline]

^^ I hope you're right and I'm wrong about the effect of Smart Streets on downtown development. There have been multiple signs that you might be right. The owner of the South Bend Cubs minor league baseball team has announced plans for a $21 million development near the Four Winds Field ballpark. The historic JMS Building is undergoing a $7.6 million renovation. A $14 million hotel project is replacing the vacant former College Football Hall of Fame. The city's tallest building, the long-neglected Chase Bank Tower, has chased out all its tenants in preparation for major renovations. There are many other projects in the works, so maybe I'm all wet.

[ysuindy]

Update on the Smart Streets project from the South Bend Tribune

http://m.southbendtribune.com/news/local/smart-streets-set-to-open-in-advance-of-notre-dame/article_6ba2d05e-c974-57f2-a764-94d23c9b732b.html

Full completion of converting both Main and Michigan to two traffic is now set for November 15.

All roundabouts will open Thursday.

Two way traffic on Main and Michigan will start Thursday between Chippewa and Ewing (where Main was closed due to flooding last month).

Two traffic between Ewing and Sample is scheduled for October 15.

[silverback1065]

Can someone in the area confirm whether SR 933 has been resigned along Main exclusively?

[theline]

^^ Not resigned so far and no word yet on when that will happen.

[Great Lakes Roads]

Off topic, but here is a MAJOR project they will start working on in downtown Indy... Interstate 65 northbound traffic between Exit 113 and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street will be CLOSED for 20 nights between 9pm and 6am. Advanced warning signs will direct through traffic - including large trucks - to take I-465 around Indianapolis.

Article:
http://kokomoherald.com/Content/Closings-and-Delays/Latest-News/Article/-4-6-million-project-will-modernize-downtown-I-65-bridges/29/760/28990

[ysuindy]

For all my angst about the impact today of Smartstreets on Notre Dame football traffic, today was rather uneventful for my trip.

I arrived in South Bend around 10:30 and decided to head straight up Michigan Street to campus.  No issues at all.  A bit of a line at the traffic light at Ewing where there was just single lane traffic, but nothing significant.  Went up through the new roundabouts and picked up my son who walked out to Peashway to meet us.  We went to lunch at Pitts BBQ and returned to park at the corner of Peashway and Foster.

Postgame we worked our way over to Eddy Street to Lincolnway to Miami to Ireland to 31 - the only issue was getting across Howard Street to work our down near St Jospeh High School then over to Eddy Street.   But 16 minutes after we got in the car, we were at the light on Ireland waiting to turn on 31.  I was back in Fishers about 2:10 after I got in the car.

Circumstances today may have made this a best case scenario - rain in the morning may have delayed the arrival of many people to closer to Noon or 1 pm versus the 10:30 am when we arrived.   Many fans left early given the large lead for Notre Dame coupled with the falling temps. 

Next week's game is a night game so traffic patterns may well change.  However fans will be arriving over a longer period during the day.  And when the game ends around 11 pm or later, there is not nearly as much as other traffic.

Perhaps inbound traffic was worse in the early afternoon and maybe southbound exit was problematic after the game.  But i did not see it.

[captkirk_4]

Noticed how consistently "stinky" the bathrooms are in the Indiana Interstate Rest Stops. Nasty old musty bathroom smell, and doorknobs you have to grab to pull GOING OUT unlike all modern designs that let you push to leave so you don't have to touch your newly cleaned hands on some doorknob someone who didn't wash their hands just touched. Yuck. The hand drier in the one in Michigan City was also in the most awkward spot, in a narrow alcove between the sinks way way too low for even a short man to comfortably use. In contrast the Illinois Farmer City Rest Stop is clean and fresh.

[westerninterloper]

Noticed how consistently "stinky" the bathrooms are in the Indiana Interstate Rest Stops. Nasty old musty bathroom smell, and doorknobs you have to grab to pull GOING OUT unlike all modern designs that let you push to leave so you don't have to touch your newly cleaned hands on some doorknob someone who didn't wash their hands just touched. Yuck. The hand drier in the one in Michigan City was also in the most awkward spot, in a narrow alcove between the sinks way way too low for even a short man to comfortably use. In contrast the Illinois Farmer City Rest Stop is clean and fresh.

I agree...the ITR rest areas area all vintage, and not in a good way. When I drive from Toledo to Chicago, I always make a stop at the last Ohio Turnpike rest area, so I don't have to stop in Hoosierland.

[theline]

^^ The good news about the ITR rest rooms, in the long run, is that the concessionaire has announced plans to reconstruct all of the service plazas. That will surely include new rest rooms. Work has begun, but I suspect it will be several years for all to be finished.

[kennyshark]

Speaking of the ITR, they seriously need to replace some of the signs in the stretch between Fremont and South Bend/Mishawaka.  Some of the lettering is wearing out so bad that, if I didn't go to South Bend three or four times a year, I would think they haven't put up any new signs since the 1960s (and I know that's not true).

[theline]

^^ Agreed. I noticed the same thing in almost all sections of the ITR, but forgot to comment here. Some of the signs are hard to read and most of them look awful.

[silverback1065]

there are a few areas like this around the state.  some portions of 465 badly need new BGSes

[nwi_navigator_1181]

Some major notes to pass along here as construction season begins to wind down...

For Indiana Toll Road travelers, some major interchanges will be closed (on top of the Lake Station exit) for pavement resurfacing. The first exit will be the Indiana 49 interchange (exit 31), which closes next week and stays closed until mid-October. Those looking to use Indiana 49 are asked to use the I-65 and US 12/20 ramp if coming from Chicago (exit 17, already facing heavy pressure due to the Lake Station ramp closure. I'd recommend using East Dunes Highway to US 20 east if you have time to spare). Those coming from Ohio or South Bend are encouraged to use US 421 to I-94 to connect to Indiana 49 (that ramp has recently reopened after it was resurfaced over the late summer).

The other major ramp closure set to begin next week involves the St. Joseph Valley Parkway ramp (US 31 Bypass, exit 72). Traffic from both directions are asked to use exit 83 (Indiana 331), but those coming from Chicago can use Indiana 39 to US 20 and Indiana 2 to hit the bypass.

On I-65, concrete restoration work has moved northward, with the work zone covering the area between I-80/94 and 61st Avenue. Entry to both directions of I-65 from Ridge Road has been cut off until the end of next week. Also, southbound drivers should expect heavy delays during rush hour at the work zone entry. Mainline traffic is reduced to one lane before traffic coming from I-80/94 east supplements the other two lanes. Northbound traffic has to watch the splits right after Ridge Road; only the left lane is allocated for I-65 traffic while the right two lanes split off for I-80/94 west. This project is expected to be completed before holiday travel commences.

On a more local note, I scouted the worksite at Indiana 130 and County Line Road to see progress. The traffic lights are up, along with the new railroad gantries, but they're all covered up at the moment. Also, the section of pavement by the railroad crossings have yet to be paved to fit the widened areas around said zone. They have to work QUICKLY to get done before the September 28 deadline.

Other observations: County Line Road will have the left turn signal for both directions, but Indiana 130 oddly will not. Instead, there will be illuminating "NO LEFT/RIGHT TURN" signs that will light up in the event of an approaching train.

Keep in mind that intersection is still CLOSED. I've seen traffic illegally drive around the barricades because the surface is driveable. DO NOT DO THAT.

UPDATE: Due to multiple factors, including concerns of increased traffic during Notre Dame home games, the ITRCC has decided to delay the Exit 72 resurfacing to Spring 2017. The Indiana 49 ramp closure, however, is currently in effect.

[silverback1065]

someone finally fixed lafayette on google maps!

[mukade]

someone finally fixed lafayette on google maps!

Well, almost. It still shows SR 43 south of I-65.

Kokomo still shows SR 22 thru town.

[tdindy88]

On a similar note, Apple Maps finally has I-69 extended from US 231 to Bloomington. They also have the new exit at Worthsville Road and I-65 in (that opened last Thanksgiving.)