Study Area Background
Description of the Study Area
The study area for the South Bend Urban Corridor Study encompasses downtown South
Bend and includes the areas directly southwest and northeast of the downtown. The
southwestern portion of the study area generally follows Main Street from south
to north, beginning at Ignition Park in the south and ending at the area around
the Memorial Hospital. The northeastern
portion of the study area encompasses the majority of the east bank and the
area along South Bend Avenue up to Eddy Street Commons and Innovation Park. The
northernmost portion of the study area is adjacent to the Notre Dame campus. The
study area is shown in Figure
1.
Demographics
According the to the 2010 U.S. Census, the City of South Bend has a population of approximately 101,000 people. Michiana Area Council of Governments (MACOG), the area’s regional planning organization, estimates the current population of the study area is approximately 39,000. Unfortunately, the city’s population has been in decline over the past few decades, as shown in Table 1. The City of South Bend’s comprehensive plan does project population growth over the next fifteen years, but only at a rate of 2.8 percent. However, the plan also outlines an aggressive agenda of policy recommendations that the city believes will begin to attract people back to the city. The city’s goal is to increase the city’s population by just over fifteen percent by the year 2025, as shown in Table 2.
Table 1: Population Trends and Projections
Click on the table to view larger
Table 2: 2025 South Bend Population Projections from the South Bend Comprehensive Plan
Click on the table to view larger
Table 2: 2025 South Bend Population Projections from the South Bend Comprehensive Plan
Click on the table to view larger
* The preferred rate of population growth, as stated in the City Plan, “is the growth rate goal that more accurately reflected the aspirations expressed in the community’s 2004 vision statement.”
Click on the map to view larger
The study area’s population density is moderately high in the downtown area and in the Northeast Neighborhood, as shown in Figure 2. The Northeast Neighborhood is currently undergoing a redevelopment phase that is bringing in significant residential population to the area. The study area also has high concentration of households that do not own cars in and around the downtown core as shown in Figure 3.
Employment
The central parts of
downtown, in conjunction with Notre Dame University, have the highest
concentration of employment in the region. Employment concentrations within the
study area are shown in Figure
4.
One of the largest employers in downtown is Memorial Hospital, located at the
north end of downtown. The South Bend Clinic, located east of the river at the
corner of Eddy Street and Colfax Avenue, is also a major employer.
Land Use
The downtown area is the
city of South Bend’s urban core with government, finance, cultural, institutional,
specialty retail, and office as the primary land uses. This area was originally
platted in a grid pattern on the southern bend of the St. Joseph River. It
generally maintains that pattern. The area is characterized by wide multi-lane
streets and plentiful surface parking. The downtown area is connected to the
eastern portion of the city by four main river crossings at Main Street, LaSalle
Avenue, Colfax Avenue, and Jefferson Boulevard.
The neighborhoods across
the St. Joseph River to the east are a mix of commercial and residential uses. The
East Bank, which includes the area south of E. LaSalle Avenue and west of Eddy
Street, is generally a mix of small scale commercial uses and medium-density residential,
with some higher density developments lining the east bank of the river. The
Northeast neighborhood, which includes the area north of E. LaSalle Ave, is
mainly medium density residential. Eddy Commons, a new mixed-use development at
the northernmost part of the study area, has become an important commercial
node in the area. Just north of the study area is the University of Notre Dame,
an important and iconic institutional land use. Innovation Park, an emerging
research park, is also located in the Northeast Neighborhood area.
The neighborhoods south
of the downtown are generally commercial and industrial uses. A large portion
of this area includes Ignition Park, the currently vacant site of the former
Studebaker Automobile Company plant. The city is currently seeking technology-centric
commercial tenants for this property. Ivy Technical College, a college campus
with approximately 10,000 students, is also located in this area.
Click on the map to view larger
Figure 4: Employment Concentrations
Click on the map to view larger
Existing Transportation Network
Road Network
Most of the South Bend’s major arterial access streets
converge in the downtown. Currently, the downtown street network offers drivers
a high level of service and MACOG is projecting that traffic congestion in the
downtown will stay fairly constant into the future, as shown in Figure 5
and Figure
6. Currently, the most congested portion of the street
network is along South Bend Avenue in the northeast corner of the study area, along
the eastern portion of LaSalle Street, and the river crossings into the
downtown core. Any relief a transit improvement can provide to those river
crossings will be a benefit to the area.
Figure 5: 2010 Traffic Forecast
Click on the map to view larger
Figure 6: 2035 Traffic Forecast
Click on the map to view larger
Click on the map to view larger
Figure 6: 2035 Traffic Forecast
Click on the map to view larger
Transit Network
The study area is served by several existing TRANSPO bus
routes. The South Street Station, the system’s main transfer hub, is located at
the corner of Main Street and South Street in the southern portion of the study
area. Figure
7 shows an inset of the TRANSPO system map with the
study area highlighted and Table 3 summarizes the characteristics of the routes
within the study area. Generally, the TRANSPO routes operate on 30 minute
frequencies during the weekday and 60 minute frequencies on the weekend.
Table 3: Characteristics of Routes Within the Study Area
Click on the table to view larger
Click on the map to view larger
Transit Ridership within the Study Area
Current transit ridership on key routes within the study
area is shown in Table 4.
Route 7, 7A, and 13 all run from South Street Station to the northeast corner
of the study area. The Sweep route circulates through the University of Notre
Dame and Saint Mary’s College. Route 7 and Route 13 have the highest ridership
of the four routes. However, it is important to note that the Route 7A only
runs on Friday and Saturday night, meaning it is carrying approximately 47
percent of the ridership on the Route 7 over only two nights of service. For
perspective, TRANSPO currently has approximately 9,500 average weekday riders
across the entire system.
Table 4: Ridership on Key Routes
Click on the table to view larger
Click on the table to view larger
TRANSPO recently conducted an origin and destination survey on Routes 7, 7A, 13 to determine where passengers on these routes were beginning and ending their trips. Over a multiple day period surveyors rode the three routes and asked passengers about their travel patterns. The survey garnered a response rate of 19 percent. Survey responses were used to extrapolate the origins and destinations of the total 1,362 trips taken on the surveyed routes during the survey period. For example, if 50 percent of the surveyed passengers responded they were traveling from home to school, it was assumed that 50 percent of the total 1,362 passengers riding on the 7, 7A, and 13 during the survey period were also traveling from home to school. The extrapolated results are shown in Table 5.
Table 5: Origin and Destination Survey Results
Click on the table to view larger
The survey found that 34 percent of the trips taken during the survey period were between two points within the study area. These trips are shown in the shaded area of the table. The most popular origin and destination pair within in the study was between South Street Station and the North Eddy Street area. There were also a large number of trips taken completely within the Notre Dame/St. Mary's area.
Future Projects
In the near term, there are two projects that may affect the
study area. First, the city is currently studying how changing major
north/south streets in the downtown from one-way to two-way configurations
would affect the downtown. Second, the city is also looking at reconfiguring
what is known as the Five Points intersection, the intersection of Eddy Street,
South Bend Avenue, and Corby Boulevard in the Northeast Neighborhood. The
city’s proposed realignment of the street network is shown in Figure 8. In addition, the city is currently working
with a developer on a plan for a mixed-use infill development to surround the
new street configuration.
Click on the maps to view larger
Purpose and Need
Project Purpose
The
purpose of the project is to:
Identify a fast, attractive, reliable, and convenient
transit option for residents and visitors that will connect downtown South Bend
to employment and residential centers in the Northeast Neighborhood and support
downtown South Bend’s position as the financial, professional, service,
cultural, and entertainment center of the Michiana Region.
- Several of South Bend’s largest employers, including Memorial Hospital, the City of South Bend, University of Notre Dame, and St. Joseph County and Courts, would be served by a transit improvement.
- Attractions like the Century Center, the East Race Waterway, East Bank Village, Eddy Street Commons, and the University of Notre Dame, visited by residents and tourists alike, would be easily accessible from a transit improvement.
- A transit improvement would connect the area’s large student population, from Ivy Technical College, Notre Dame, St. Mary’s College and Holy Cross College, to jobs and entertainment in and around the downtown core.
- A transit improvement should offer connectivity to TRANSPO routes that serve the rest of South Bend and improve regional mobility.
Project Need
The
need for the project is driven by:
The
share of trips made by transit are limited by the existing scope of transit
service.
- Investment is needed in transit service that runs directly between destinations of regional significance, including downtown South Bend and the Northeast Neighborhood, at higher frequencies and shorter travel times than the existing routes serving South Bend.
- Investments in amenities such as clearly marked stops with shelters, schedules, and route maps are needed to increase reliability of service and greatly enhance users’ experience.
- An investment in transit improvements is an opportunity to provide a more reliable means of transport for transit dependent riders and also attract choice riders.
The few
alternatives to driving alone available in South Bend
- The American Community Survey reports that nearly 80% of commute trips in South Bend are made by people who are driving alone. However, nearly 4% of workers 16 and older do not have a vehicle and available to them for work trips and 3% of commuters are already using public transportation to get to work.[1]
- An investment in transit improvements can be an instrumental part of a phased and multi-modal investment in pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure, increasing alternatives to driving alone.
The City
of South Bend’s vision and objectives for growth as stated in the 2006
comprehensive plan
- Investments in transit are an important component of realizing the city’s vision for “an excellent transportation system that offers alternative modes of transport, provides accessibility throughout the community, values pedestrians, and is integrated locally and regionally.” Furthermore, the central location of the future transit investment contributes to the vision for a “dynamic downtown that is a hub for housing, commerce, and government, and regional destination for culture, arts, and entertainment.”
- Promotion of denser, infill development in or near downtown will also further South Bend’s goal of managing growth on the edge of town that infringes on agricultural land and strains the capacity of city utilities and services.
- Transit investments enhance the value of urban transportation facilities by allowing for greater throughput, enabling bike and pedestrian trips in combination with transit trips to reach a multitude of places outside the transit corridors, and fostering opportunities for dense, mixed-use development in the urban core. Increased infill development in the older areas of the city and increased density of the Central Business District reinforces the investment in transit by increasing ridership and productivity of the system, creating a positive feedback loop that results in reduced drive-alone trips, a stronger sense of place, and an enhanced tax base.
- Transit investments will also reinforce and complement many of the City of South Bend’s objectives for growth, including the following:
- Foster distinctive, attractive communities with a strong sense of place.
- Strengthen and direct development toward existing built-up areas and infrastructure.
- Take advantage of compact building design.
- Mix land uses.
- Create walkable neighborhoods.
- Create a range of housing opportunities and choices.
- Encourage the preservation of open space, natural beauty, and critical environmental areas.
- Provide a variety of transportation choices.
To
build support for transit improvements beyond the initial concept, it will be
necessary to demonstrate and build transit ridership in South Bend
- Given the city’s development goals, an initial transit improvement is phase one of an opportunity to increase transit ridership, resulting in a more productive service and a stronger case for additional capital investment and other enhancements to the system.
- To strengthen the transit base in South Bend, it is important to plan for transit improvements in the following ways:
- Extend and expand existing bus service and increase bus service frequencies, particularly during the peak periods of the day
- Explore and implement methods for improving travel speeds for local routes
- Intensively market the improved transit service to downtown area residents, students and in neighborhoods with low car ownership and/or a high concentration of people who work downtown
- Align transit goals with the city’s comprehensive plan
- Allow for densification of land use within the study area
- Improve connectivity between land uses to reduce the need for auto use
- Engage in station area master planning
- Update the existing bus fleet with bike racks to enable multi-modal trips
Project Goals and Objectives
The South Bend Alternatives Analysis will develop and
comparatively evaluate a set of alternatives to meet the needs outlined in the previous
chapter. Goals that form the basis for comparison of alternatives are presented
to help guide the development of options. Measures that will be used to gauge
how well each alternative does in meeting the overall goals are also presented.
Goal 1: Improve mobility and access to jobs and activities
Click on the table to view larger
Goal 2: Catalyze and support housing and economic development along the corridor
Click on the table to view larger
Goal 3: Develop a cost effective transitway that is well-positioned for implementation
Click on the table to view larger
Goal 4: Support healthy communities and sound environmental practices
Click on the table to view larger
