HomeMy WebLinkAbout10-07-2011 Western Avenue and Walnut Intersection now open Office of the Mayor
MEDIA RELEASE
Friday, October 07, 2011
10:30 am
Contact: Mikki Dobski, Director of Communications&Special Projects, 574-235-5855 or 876-1564
Carl Littrell, City Engineer, 574-235-9251
Western Avenue and Walnut Intersection now open
South Bend, IN: City officials and community representatives joined together to celebrate the
re-opening of the Walnut and Western intersection today. "The intersection improvements were
designed to improve the safety for travelers along Western Avenue and under the railroad
viaduct at Walnut St," said Mayor Luecke. Ninety percent of the cost of this work is being paid
by the Federal Highway Administration through the Highway Safety Improvement Program
( ISIP). These funds are used to reduce occurrence of crashes and resultant injuries and property
damage. Historically, Western and Walnut has been in the "top five" of intersections in South
Bend when rating crash severity and frequency. This project will improve upon that record.
According to Carl Littrell, City Engineer, "the two major features of the improvements are "jug
handle" turns for movements from Western Avenue to Walnut Street and single through lanes
carrying Western Avenue through the viaduct." The jug handles are new ramps taking vehicles,
traveling either eastward or westward, off Western toward the right carrying them to new
intersections with Walnut Street where they will have a traffic signal to carry them right or left
on Walnut according to their destinations. "This eliminates left turns under the viaduct bridge
where pillars limit visibility of oncoming traffic. Similarly moving the right turns to the jug
handles eliminates delays to through traffic that had been due to slow right turn maneuvers in the
cramped space under the bridge," said Littrell. These improvements are served by three new
coordinated sets of traffic signals to replace the split-delayed timing that had been in place for
the intersection.
"With the improvements in place,paired with the recently improved intersection at Chapin and
Western, as well as, the completion of the computerized traffic signal interconnection system on
Western from Scott to Mayflower, great strides have been taken to improve safety and reduce
congestion," said Mayor Luecke. "Safety, as always, is dependent upon adherence to the "rules
of the road" and observance of regulations in place."
Western Avenue will now be a two-lane roadway, one lane in each direction,between Chapin
Street and Walnut Street. No turns will be permitted from Western Avenue while under the
viaduct. Drivers wishing to go north or south on Walnut from Western must use the jug handle
ramp to reach their destination.
Grant administration and regional transportation planning for this and all other federal aid
projects locally is through the Michiana Area Council of Governments, Sandra Seanor,
Executive Director.
The final cost of the project is $1,683,401. It was let through the Indiana Department of
Transportation, LaPorte District, Mike McPhillips, District Director. INDOTs Area Engineer
for the project is Mike Monahan. The City of South Bend provided the Project Inspection
through Toy Villa, Construction Manager, and Larry Camparone, Senior Project Inspector.
The project planning and design was done by The Troyer Group, under the direction of John
Leszczynski with Christopher Waidner,P.E., as the Project Engineer.
Work on the project began in August 2010, and was suspended in November for the
winter. Work resumed in March,being delayed by an unusually wet spring and a three week
strike. In addition, some sewers which were scheduled to remain in place were found to be in
poor condition and had to be replaced further delaying completion.
See attached map below.
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