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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowVehicles will be able to start driving west on New York Street through the IUPUI campus starting about 3 p.m. Tuesday as the city opens the thoroughfare to two-way traffic.
The change had been scheduled for Monday afternoon but was delayed a day due to Monday's rain, IUPUI announced.
Currently, New York is a one way street east through downtown. Vehicles travel one-way west on Michigan Street just to the north. But the Department of Public Works announced plans last year to open up both streets to two-way traffic between West Street and White River Parkway.
The goal is to slow traffic through IUPUI and increase traffic circulation for commuters to and from the campus and nearby hospitals.
Michigan Street is scheduled to open to two-way traffic in about one year.
"This project represents a long collaboration between major community stakeholders including IUPUI, the hospitals and our west-side neighborhoods," said Melody Park, the public works department’s chief engineer, in a statement. "This project will both increase the safety of students and pedestrians by calming traffic speeds along New York Street as well as allow motorists more direct access to their destinations on the university and hospital campuses."
The city announced the projects last year as part of a larger $30 million plan to overhaul the Indiana University Natatorium and improve access to the IUPUI campus as well as the near-west side. The larger deal includes $10 million contributions by IUPUI and Lilly Endowment for the natatorium, which is scheduled to host the Olympic diving trials in 2016. The city is using tax-increment financing dollars for the reconfigured streets.
The revamped New York Street has two 10-foot-wide traffic lanes in each direction as well as an additional 10-foot turn lane at intersections. The improvements include a sidewalk on each side of the road and an 8-foot, off-street bike lane running just north of the street. The changes had been projected to cost $2.6 million.
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