No one was hurt in a house fire Friday on South Bend’s far south side but the fire has reignited concerns about traffic safety and emergency response in a growing South Bend subdivision.
Lafayette Falls isn’t new but builders are adding homes in a new phase. But residents say the developer only installed one subdivision entrance, and the city’s York Road fire station is further away than the Centre Township Fire station.
South Bend Common Council members Sherry Bolden-Simpson and Oliver Davis Jr. agree and they want the city to contract with Centre Township for fire service.
They’re also angry that the city has not yet included funding in next year’s budget to at least install what’s called a blister at the existing entrance on Kern, allowing traffic to drive around vehicles turning into the subdivision.
“Everybody has been really willing to say the right things and to agree that this is a bad situation but we just don’t have anybody taking action," says Valerie Weis with the neighborhood association.
A city spokeswoman declined our interview request but issued a statement saying Friday’s fire response was timely and that the city is hiring a traffic engineering expert to provide recommendations by the end of the year.
