(Michigan City, IN) - Franklin St. in Michigan City’s Uptown Arts District on Monday opened to two way traffic in a move aimed at providing more customers for businesses and filling remaining empty storefronts.  

 

About 8 a.m., Mayor Angie Nelson Deuitch helped cut the ribbon then led a convoy of municipal vehicles occupied by city employees in the new southbound lane from Fourth St. to Ninth St.

 

That two lane stretch of Franklin St. had been just for northbound travelers for 30 years or more.

 

The hope is to provide a boost to the ongoing revitalization of what’s still viewed by many residents as downtown by eliminating confusion of one way travel especially for out of town travelers not used to navigating the landscape.

 

Michelle Gaines, a lifelong Michigan City resident, was among the first travelers on the freshly converted two way thoroughfare.

 

“I love it,” she said.

 

Adding to her pleasure were the changes from one way to two way travel just a few years ago on Washington and Pine streets, which run in the same direction as Franklin St. just a block away to the west and east.

 

“It’s a fantastic feeling for everybody to be able to go both ways on all of these streets,” she said.

 

Assistant City Planner Kyle Anthony-Petter said how much of an economic difference two way travel on Franklin St. will have in the Uptown Arts District probably won’t be fully known until after winter.  That’s when visitors start coming back in their highest numbers to enjoy Lake Michigan and other local attractions.

 

“I think come this summer we’re really going to find out the impact of the decisions we’ve made here,” he said.

 

The conversion of Franklin St. was completed within a recent two week period by doing things like laying down fresh pavement and restriping the angled parking on both sides of the roadway.

 

Matt Kubik, a member of the Michigan City Public Arts Committee, said he hopes two way travel will help recapture the momentum downtown revitalization had until the worldwide pandemic.  He said some businesses were not able to survive the lockdowns that kept a lot of people home to try and keep the COVID-19 virus from spreading.

 

“We have a few more empty storefronts than I think that we would like but now is the time with a new mayor, a new energy and a new street to pick it back up and really make this I would say the playground of Michigan City,” he said.

 

Kubik said the Uptown Arts District is also supported by the artists and fans of culture living in the over 40 apartments created several years ago inside the refurbished six story Warren Building at 717 Franklin St.

 

He said further support has come in recent years by people now living in many of the once empty upper floors in other renovated buildings.  

 

Kubik believes two way travel will bring more visitors and local residents to the restaurants, coffee shops and other Uptown Arts District businesses and, hopefully, other new establishments wanting to tap into the increased motor vehicle and foot traffic.

 

“It’s a work in progress,” he said.

 

Marissa Manteo, Manager of FLUID Coffee Roasters at 518 Franklin St., said she believes two way travel will add to the record number of customers served at her shop this past summer.

 

“Our sales were out the roof.  It was amazing,” she said.

 

Manteo is also hopeful traffic moving in both directions will lead to uptick in business during the much slower off-season.

 

“I have positive outlooks for it,” she said.