Over the past few months there has been increasing discussion about the planned total rebuilding of St. Joseph’s Main Street (Business Loop 94), planned for 2027-28. What will change? What will be improved? What is the timetable? How much will your daily life be affected by the big construction project?
The St. Joseph Rotary Club got an overview of the project this week from MDOT project manager Jon Smith, who acknowledged there is no way to do such a big project without some inconvenience in the process. However, Smith pointed out that MDOT goes to great lengths in the planning process to anticipate and avoid negative impacts on local businesses and residents. He cited several public meetings that have been held already and more that are planned to make certain that affected residents and business owners know what is ‘in store’ and are familiar with the timetable.
It’s been determined, Smith said, that the least painful and least negative game plan for the downtown project is to do it in one long construction season, rather than breaking it up. So, the plan is to begin major construction soon after Labor Day Weekend, 2027 and complete the bulk of the work before Memorial Day, 2028. That avoids drastically limiting access to downtown St. Joseph during the busy and economically critical tourist season. He acknowledged some finishing work would likely still run into the summer of ’28.
During that nine month period, sections of Main Street will be totally shut down one at a time, while underground utilities and infrastructure are replaced, some for the first time in 100 years. Traffic will be rerouted on carefully planned and clearly marked detours that make sense for drivers unfamiliar with the downtown area. Smith acknowledged that locals might find shorter and more convenient detours because they know the neighborhoods.
Some residents who have reviewed the plans have major questions about the elimination of the ‘One Way Pair’, Ship and Port Streets, which, to the untrained observer seem to be functioning well. Smith explained that the change is driven by a lack of need, not by problems with the 1960s one-way-street design. He pointed out that about twice as many lanes are being set aside and maintained as are needed to carry the Business Loop 94 traffic between downtown St. Joseph and Benton Harbor.
The new plan will utilize the rebuilt Ship Street as the two-way route for the Business Loop, including a center turn lane. Port Street, accessing the Berrien County Courthouse and Jail complex will revert to being a regular St. Joseph City Street.
Considerable planning work has also been focused on improving pedestrian access and safety, especially relating to crossing Main Street. This has become an even bigger priority as the St. Joseph downtown ‘East of Main’ neighborhood has developed (The Market, 221 Main, Silver Harbor Brewing and other businesses). Smith explained that pedestrian traffic patterns are being examined to place controlled crosswalks wherever they are needed. Those crosswalks will include permanent safety islands in the middle of Main Street.
Those medians—the middle of the road dividers—are also being redesigned with a more attractive and welcoming atmosphere in mind. Currently flowers and green spaces occupy several medians on the South end of Main Street. The plan calls for adding updated decorative medians all the way North to the Blossomland Bridge.
Smith indicated there will be additional public information meetings scheduled as plans for the St. Joseph Main Street/BL-94 project are finalized.
