Overview
DLZ was hired by the Airport Authority to prepare an engineering study that would evaluate several alternative routes for the relocation of Lincolnway West. Lincolnway West serves as a gateway to the City of South Bend as visitors travel from US-31/US-20 past the South Bend International Airport to downtown. In 2000, the South Bend International Airport completed a master plan for recommended improvements to the airport facility. One of the recommendations of the master plan was to relocate approximately 2 miles of Lincolnway West in front of the airport facility which will allow for an extension of runway 18-36, as well as open up over 200 acres of land for future airport expansion.
Process
DLZ helped the Airport Authority advance plans for the relocation of Lincolnway West, evaluating alignment alternatives to maximize land available for airport development while maintaining traffic during construction. The study considered constraints presented by an existing cemetery and elementary school, with the goal of locating the roadway within an object-free area. To assess future roadway operations, DLZ collected traffic data and developed 20-year traffic projections. These projections informed level-of-service analyses for several signalized intersections along the proposed relocation corridor.
The relocation study established a typical roadway section with two lanes in each direction, a 14-foot-wide flush median, and 10-foot-wide outside shoulders. DLZ also defined the proposed right-of-way footprint and requirements for signage and roadway lighting. As part of the project’s National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) documentation, DLZ completed a highway noise impact analysis for inclusion in the Environmental Assessment.
Throughout the study, DLZ coordinated with South Bend International Airport, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT), the City of South Bend, and St. Joseph County to address each agency’s concerns.
Following FAA approval of the Lincolnway West relocation, the Airport Authority engaged DLZ to evaluate relocating the existing US 31/US 20 and Lincolnway West interchange farther south. The second study examined several alternatives, including diamond, partial cloverleaf, and split interchange configurations.
DLZ was subsequently retained to develop design plans for 2.4 miles of roadway. To accommodate the project’s scope and funding requirements, the work was divided into two phases:
Phase 1: Relocation of Lincolnway West from 1,300 feet west of Mayflower Road to 1,600 feet east of Lexington Avenue
Phase 2: Relocation of Lincolnway West along the Alternate 2A alignment, from approximately 1,300 feet west of US 31 to 1,300 feet west of Mayflower Road, and construction of a new diamond interchange with US 31
DLZ’s services also included all right-of-way engineering, geotechnical evaluation, and coordination with affected utilities, including review of utility relocation plans.
