Douglas Road improvements will require patience, alternate routes

Author: NDWorks

Drp

If you live north and east of Notre Dame, you may be accustomed to taking Douglas Road to and from campus. It’s time to find another route. From early April to mid-October, Douglas Road, the main artery at the north end of campus, will be improved and widened from Twyckenham Drive through the Ironwood Road intersection. 

The construction will also impact traffic patterns for major University events, including the Garth Brooks and Billy Joel concerts, two Commencements, Reunion, move-out and move-in dates and possibly three home football games. 

Douglas Road will be closed to east/west traffic from Twyckenham Drive to Ironwood Road from Monday, April 4, through Friday, June 10. From Monday, June 13, to Friday, Oct. 14, the intersection of Ironwood and Douglas will be closed in all directions to add turn lanes and upgrade the traffic lights.

This year’s improvements include the addition of lighting and the extension of a pedestrian pathway from the Warren Golf Course east to Ironwood Road. When completed next year, Douglas Road will be four lanes with ample turning lanes at Ironwood and Indiana 23 — intersections that get congested during peak traffic times. The Indiana Department of Transportation is overseeing construction.

Douglasrdproject Supporting 1120x686
This graphic suggests alternate routes to and from campus around the closure.

The Douglas Road improvement project has been in the making for nearly 10 years. “I look forward to construction beginning on the widening of Douglas Road. While the project may present some challenges, this is a long overdue and necessary improvement that will benefit the campus and broader community for decades to come,” said Tim Sexton, associate vice president of public affairs.

In 2012, the University improved and widened Douglas Road from Twyckenham west to Indiana 933, adding three roundabouts. As part of the project, Douglas was rerouted from Moreau Drive north to Juniper Road and west to the Indiana Toll Road entrance at 933.

 

Originally published by NDWorks at ndworks.nd.edu on March 22, 2022.