The Michigan Street Improvement Project will begin Wednesday, June 26. This project will include the replacement of the concrete pavement which has deteriorated between Colfax and Western Avenue. Michigan Street will also be converted to angled street parking. Michigan Street between Wayne Street and Western Avenue will receive new curbs, sidewalks and lighting in addition to pavement work. The signalized intersections at Michigan Street and Jefferson Boulevard, and Michigan Street and Washington Street will be changed to four-way stops due to low traffic volumes.
During construction, pedestrian access will be maintained to all businesses in the impacted areas. Construction will be completed in half block increments except for the Wayne-Western block.
The construction will be broken up into three phases:
Phase I (Up to 30 days for both locations)
Location #1: Michigan Street from Wayne Street to Western Avenue
Location #2: Michigan Street from the mid-block of Jefferson-Washington and mid-block of Washington-Colfax.
During this phase, the Michigan Street and Washington Street intersection will be closed for up to 10 days for new crosswalks and the removal of the traffic signals and poles. When the intersection closes, detour routes will be Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard or Main Street to Washington Street or Jefferson Boulevard. When the intersection reopens, it will be a four-way stop.
The Western Avenue and Michigan Street intersection will close for up to 10 days but will not be closed simultaneously. (More details on the intersection closure will be announced at a later time.)
Phase II (Up to 30 days for both locations)
Location #1: Michigan Street from mid-block of Wayne-Jefferson to mid-block of Jefferson-Washington
Location #2: Michigan Street from mid-block of Washington-Colfax to Colfax Avenue.
During this phase, the Michigan Street and Jefferson Boulevard intersection will be closed for up to 10 days. When the intersection reopens, it will be a four-way stop.
Phase III (Up to 30 days)
Location: Michigan Street from Wayne Street to the mid-block of Wayne-Jefferson. This includes the Michigan Street and Wayne Streets intersection.
The $1.9 million bid was awarded to Walsh & Kelly and will be funded through the City’s River West Development Area Tax Increment Finance (TIF) district and the Light Up South Bend program. TIF funding is used for public improvements to advance business development in an area. All streets are expected to reopen by Friday, September 6 with the project complete by mid-October, weather permitting.
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