The South Bend Common Council approved a $25 million plan on Monday night that would convert two of the city’s main thoroughfares from one-way to two-way traffic. The Smart Streets initiative would convert both Michigan Street and Main Street. The plan also calls for the construction of new roundabouts and various other street improvements. It…
Months of work and years of planning ended today with the reopening Lafayette Boulevard in downtown South Bend. It has been a half century since two-way streets have graced Lafayette, one of the main thoroughfares through downtown. It’s an important artery that passes along what the city hopes will be revitalized former Studebaker buildings just…
You probably have never heard of the Office of Sustainability. Situated in a nondescript office building on the former highly industrial Sample Street — tucked away in a corner of the city’s Public Works division — the Office of Sustainability looks to assist in South Bend’s rebirth as a place where people can live, work…
South Bend’s West Side has long been a part of town that has felt neglected. Dilapidated buildings, shuttered store fronts, food deserts, unsafe sidewalks and roads in disrepair are just some of the common complaints that you might hear from West Side residents. The city hopes to fix at least some of those problems with…
If you drive through downtown South Bend today, you may notice that Lafayette Boulevard is closed temporarily between Monroe and Western Avenue with limited one-way traffic access just north of there. Sidewalks along the route are being torn up and parking is restricted. South Bend Voice reached out to the city to see what is…
We’re experiencing the transition to smarter streets here on Jefferson Boulevard this summer. All together, it will be several months of construction chaos. Here’s why we think it is worth the trouble. Less road is more sidewalk which means more shared space for our community. Less channeling automobiles rapidly through our downtown, means more time…
