It's a project some wondered if they'd ever see in their lifetime. Wednesday, ground was broken on the new U.S. 31 project, between South Bend and Plymouth. Governor Mitch Daniels was at the historic groundbreaking in Lakeville.

Major Moves is finally moving! The billion dollar project will upgrade U.S. 31, bypassing it around the small communities that slow traffic.

Those behind the project say it'll make the roads safer and life more convenient for those travelling between South Bend and Indianapolis. The new U.S. 31 groundbreaking has been decades in the making.

“There's been a lot of promises made, a lot of dead ends when it came to this road, this is a road to the future paved with promise of jobs for kids in the next generation, that's exactly what we need in northern Indiana,” says State Representative Jackie Walorski, a Republican out of Jimtown.

It's a change that many are looking forward to, even those that sold land for the project. “When you look at a map, there’s no main artery to South Bend or to Elkhart. And to just get a main artery, as you travel the country, you see main arteries, you see industry on both sides, access in and out,” says Todd Galloway of Lakeville. Galloway told seven acres of his land to the state for the U.S. 31 project.

But not everyone is thrilled about the new highway. Del Vohs is concerned less drivers will be filling up at his Lakeville BP gas station. “I think it's going to have a negative impact on businesses. Especially this time of year, travelling back and forth to the Notre Dame games, you know, will cut a lot of that out,” says Vohs.

Other locals think the bypass is a change they can get used to. “I don't think it'll hurt the businesses much because local people patronize their places. The benefit would be getting the semi-trucks off cause there's traffic,” explains Miller.

Governor Daniels acknowledged there are some mixed feelings about the project, but he said change is necessary in order to make progress. “Years ahead are going to be so much brighter, now that northern Indiana is going to be directly connected on a free flowing interstate, a quality road connected to the center of the state and rest of the state and country,” says Governor Daniels.

Governor Daniels also thanked the people that started this effort to build a new road, years ago.

After Lakeville, Daniels headed to Kokomo to attend another groundbreaking to celebrate the new U.S. 31 down there.

The state is still in the process of choosing a contractor for the project. It’s unclear when construction will start.

The goal is to eventually return the old U.S. 31 to the local communities. They'll be able to make changes and improvements as they like.