WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) — Cherry Lane will look a lot different before football season this fall.
Last year we reported that Cherry Lane will extend out to U.S 231 and be widened to three lanes. On Tuesday, Feb. 26 the city of West Lafayette got the green light to move forward on the Cherry Lane Extension project.
Cherry Lane near U.S. 231 sees a big increase in traffic congestion during football season. Purdue fans are who West Lafayette City Engineer, Ed Garrison had in mind when creating the Cherry Lane Extension Project.
“We're winning again," said Garrison. "It's nice to be having a winning team and we want to make sure we can accommodate that."
The city plans to tear down trees where the new extended road will go immediately. The groundbreaking will start in late April, early May. Garrison said it shouldn't heavily impact your commute on 231.
“While that's going on we'll probably have some lanes down through there but I think it'll be minimum disruption and a great benefit to the community,” said Garrison.
This isn’t the only phase of the project, Phase two includes expanding driving lanes and adding a multi-use trail for bikers and walkers on Cherry Lane near Northwestern Avenue. Neighbors who experience the stadium traffic are excited.
“It does get pretty dangerous out there with people walking after the game,” said a neighbor who lives across from the stadium. “It's definitely a pain getting out of my driveway over here and there's just tons of cars everywhere,” said another neighbor at the corner of Cherry and Northwestern.
Garrison said working on design and funding is the plan after Cherry Lane's Phase one extension is complete. As of now, drivers can plan on their drive to campus this football season to feel a lot smoother.
“It's gonna be interesting on the first football game just for the simple fact that it's gonna be a pattern that we're not used to but Purdue Police, West Lafayette Police work hand in hand to make sure game day traffic travels properly," said Garrison.
