non-motorized transportation

Overview of city of Bloomington. https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=138_hMLEqiMqOjCLhU2cIzQsC45DGuzU&usp=sharing

The area outlined in green, which is part of Lower Cascades Park, is proposed for historic designation.

Bloomington’s Lower Cascades Park, which is located north SR 45/46 along a part of Old State Road 37, could be designated as a historic district.

At its Thursday meeting, the city’s historic preservation commission (HPC) got its initial briefing from program manager Gloria Colom Braña on a possible designation for Lower Cascades.

Colom Braña’s report supports a recommendation by the commission to designate the park as a historic district. A vote by the HPC could be taken at its next regular meeting, which is set for Dec. 14.

But on Thursday night, the only action taken by the HPC was to set a public hearing for Dec. 14—on a recommendation that Lower Cascades Park be declared a historic district.

The sentiment among HPC members was uniformly in support of historic designation for the park. Matthew Seddon put it like this: “We don’t need to talk about this anymore. We’re good to go. I think this one is a no-brainer.” Continue reading “Bloomington historic commission mulls designation for Lower Cascades, could affect decision on road” →

Accepted on Wednesday night as a part of the Bloomington city council’s transportation committee report on sidewalks were five projects to construct or design short new stretches of sidewalk in different parts of the city.

For sidewalks this year, the city council approved $336,000 from the city’s alternative transportation fund (ATF), which was established in 1992 as part of the same ordinance that created the residential neighborhood parking permit program.

According to the residential neighborhood parking permit ordinance, “funds received in excess of the annual cost of operating the program shall go into an Alternative Transportation Fund.”

Expenditures from the fund are supposed to be for the purpose of “reducing our community’s dependence upon the automobile.”

To be built this coming construction season is a sidewalk on Adams Street from Kirkwood Avenue to Fountain Drive using $120,000 from the city’s alternative transportation fund (ATF) and $140,000 from other sources. Also to be constructed is a sidewalk on Dunn Street from 15th Street to 16th Street using $110,000 from the ATF.

A total of $56,000 from the ATF will be put towards design of three projects: Overhill Drive from 3rd Street to 5th Street; Liberty Drive south of 3rd Street at the northern entrance of Whitehall Plaza; and Smith Avenue, from College Avenue to Walnut Street.

Also a part of the transportation committee’s report approved by the council on Wednesday, was $50,000 of ATF money for resident-led projects in the general traffic calming and greenways program.

The report from the transportation committee was delivered Wednesday by committee chair Ron Smith. Continue reading “City council says millions more dollars needed, but Bloomington adds a couple more sidewalk segments” →