The public has had a chance to offer input on plans to repave part of Napier Avenue in St. Joseph and Benton townships starting next year. At a Monday forum, the Southwest Michigan Planning Commission talked about the possibility of adding sidewalks or bike paths along the road from the St. Joseph River to I-94. Berrien County Road Department Director Jason Latham tells WSJM News that could mean traffic changes.
“They did a detailed traffic analysis, and there is a recommendation to potentially — in the areas where there are four lanes — to potentially go to three, but my design team hasn’t drilled down to those details yet,” Latham said.
Under that plan, there would be one lane in each direction plus a center turn lane between Union and the St. Joseph River. Latham says adding more than a simple sidewalk would make it easier to secure funding.
“Usually, the trails, your ten foot wide trails, those are the types of things that support bikes and pedestrians at the same time, and those are the kind of projects that you want to go after for grants because they’re a little bit easier to get than just a grant for sidewalks,” Latham said. “A grant just for sidewalks usually doesn’t check all of the boxes that you need.”
Latham says the road repaving will start next year from the river to Colfax, and the pedestrian amenities, whatever they go with, would likely come later when grants are secured. The road department is now reviewing the planning commission report, and will draft further plans this winter. You can find out more right here.
