10-25-12 Redevelopment Commission Minutes.docx

Home Browse Search

South Bend Redevelopment Commission Regular Meeting—October 25, 2012 5. OLD BUSINESS (CONT.) A. South Side Development Area (1) continued... affected. Further, we issued a survey to gather feedback from the residents. The survey indicated that there was widespread concern about the project, particularly from those who would NOT be relocated, but would remain in their properties, facing the expanded thoroughfare. In a process that Jitin Kain will explain, we looked anew at the original assumptions, particularly the traffic projections that actually suggest a more modest outcome. Based on that analysis the department is pleased to submit to the Commission a proposal that keeps the integrity of the neighborhood, allows the residents to maintain their homes, saves taxpayers of South Bend millions of dollars, and will provide infrastructure in the area for the free flow of emergency response vehicles. While it took some time to get to this point, we believe the end result is positive and that the Redevelopment Commission and neighbors can be confident that this is the best possible outcome for all sides. The city recognizes that at some point along this process a number of homes were in question for relocation. During this time some have moved on, ahead of a final recommendation from the city. While no formal assurances were made to these residents at that time, we realize that some have interpreted the city's message as otherwise, and it is important that they be made whole. We are committed to doing everything we can to mitigate the inconveniences of this project and will look forward to meeting with those residents whose properties were in question. Mr. Kain reiterated the need for the project, the U.S. 31 alignment, Commission alternatives, reviewed the data and his analysis of it, and made the staff recommendation. Mr. Kain reminded everyone that the state is upgrading U.S. 31 to a limited access highway. This will cutoff access to U.S. 31 for those living east of U.S. 31 between Kern Road and the bypass. There will be a Fellows Street bridge over U.S. 20, anticipated to be completed by June 2013. There will be some people from that otherwise stranded neighborhood who will want to take the Fellows Street bridge into South Bend. The Fellows Street overpass ends at Ireland Road. Several alternatives have been presented to date to address the additional traffic expected on Fellows: A, B and C, then A-1 and C-1. Option A-1 would expand Fellows to a three- lane street, curving along Chippewa to Michigan Street. That option would require twenty- six acquisitions at a cost of$5.9M. Option C-1 would create a cul-de-sac of Fellows on the north side of Ireland to prevent traffic from using Fellows as its route north. Option C-1 required seven acquisitions and a cost of$5.4M. Staff took a new look at the first projection of 8,000 additional cars per day over the Fellows St. overpass which could potentially use Fellows north of Ireland. A traffic count on U.S. 31 at the two points on either end of the affected neighborhood counted an increase of 4,800 vehicles between Kern and the bypass. That demonstrates that the neighborhood 12