Safety changes coming to major road dividing Notre Dame campus, northeast South Bend

Jordan Smith, South Bend Tribune
·2 min read
The Virgin Mary atop the "Golden Dome" on the Administration Building is seen through nearly bare trees before an NCAA college football game between Notre Dame and Pittsburgh on Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023, in South Bend.
The Virgin Mary atop the "Golden Dome" on the Administration Building is seen through nearly bare trees before an NCAA college football game between Notre Dame and Pittsburgh on Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023, in South Bend.

SOUTH BEND — City officials have moved forward with a project to calm traffic on Angela Boulevard, the road that divides Notre Dame's campus from Eddy Street Commons and nearby neighborhoods.

Starting after the university's commencement weekend May 17-19, the road will undergo $3.2 million of changes from Indiana 933 to Twyckenham Drive. Paid for jointly by the city and the university, the project aims to protect cyclists and pedestrians navigating among average daily traffic of about 15,000 cars a day, according to an agreement signed this year.

To the west of Notre Dame Avenue, the city will pay $978,000 to restripe Angela with one lane for cars and an adjacent lane for bicycles in each direction. A multi-use path that runs toward campus from the St. Joseph River, the Coal Line Trail, will be extended along Angela to merge with a sidewalk south of Burke Golf Course.

To the east, Notre Dame will pay about $2.3 million to restripe the four-lane roadway down to two lanes — one lane of cars heading in either direction. All four lanes will reopen to traffic on gamedays and other events, but, generally, the surplus space will be used for on-street parking and new turn lanes.

"The idea here is that we're doing this in a way that will add traffic-calming (measures), make it safer for pedestrians and bicyclists," Public Works Director Eric Horvath said. "But at the same time, for gamedays and big events, we can go back to the two lanes in each direction."

Gameday traffic is expected to improve next year after the recent reconstruction of Douglas Road, Horvath said. Attendees will again be directed to leave the stadium both to the north and the south.

In addition to the road restriping, crews will install a traffic signal at the intersection of Angela and Joyce Drive, south of Compton Family Ice Arena.

The South Bend Board of Public Works awarded the construction contract to Milestone Contractors North on Tuesday.

Angela won't shut down completely during construction, Horvath said. Crews will work to finish the bulk of the changes by the 2024 college football season.

Email South Bend Tribune city reporter Jordan Smith at JTsmith@gannett.com. Follow him on X: @jordantsmith09

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: South Bend aims for safer biking and walking near Notre Dame campus