Feb. 2, 2021
The City of South Bend has released a draft of its Rebuilding Our Streets Plan. The plan calls for approximately a $25 million investment in streets over the next three years (2021-2023).
“During my conversations with residents throughout South Bend, I have heard loud and clear that our streets are in desperate need of improvement,” said Mayor James Mueller. “This plan lays out short-term and long-term goals to make meaningful progress on the quality of our streets, including those that have been overlooked in the past.”
Work will be based on a data-driven approach that looks at current and projected street conditions. These factors will determine the best repair or maintenance techniques. The plan also includes improvements to neighborhood streets that have seen conditions deteriorate over time.
The 10-year plan prioritizes improvement of streets that have the lowest Pavement Surface Evaluation and Rating (PASER) scores. PASER is a system that assigns a rating from 1-10, with 1 being the worst condition and 10 being a newly paved street. The plan will over time improve the average street quality throughout South Bend while creating geographical equity.
“We are excited to prioritize additional resources to pave the way for smoother and safer streets,” said Public Works Director Eric Horvath. “With additional investment, residents will see a lot construction activity – paving and repairing streets – in their neighborhoods.”
The Rebuilding Our Streets Plan includes a draft shortlist of the streets identified for paving over the next three years. An online dashboard has also been created for residents to view the rating of every street in South Bend.
Residents are encouraged to read the full plan at southbendin.gov/streetsplan. Input can be given by filling out the online survey on the webpage.
