Construction: When will it end?

Let me set you up with the situation: It's about 4 p.m., you can see the humidity in the air, your car has no air conditioning and you have been gridlocked in standstill traffic for what seems like forever. \nIt sounds like Chicago traffic on a Friday afternoon, but it isn't. I'm actually describing Bloomington, with its booming street and building construction. \nBefore I arrived here, I had friends who warned me about the construction, but I wasn't prepared for what I saw. Bloomington looks as though it is rebuilding in the aftermath of war. Buildings are being erected here and roads are being constructed everywhere in town. So many random projects are going on all at once that no area of the city or campus is safe. \nIt seems those who were planning the construction projects attached a map to a dart board, and started throwing darts. Wherever those darts landed on the map, they planned to build something new or renovate something old. I can imagine that must have been one hell of a game.\nIt's important to rebuild infrastructure and encourage new construction to remain on the cutting edge. I understand that. But did we really need to do so many projects all at once? \nSome projects are being orchestrated by the city and some by the University, and they each have different agendas. Still, they could have done something to make things less hectic. Bloomington is a beautiful place; unfortunately, I'm not going to see it in its entirety while I'm here. As a freshman, I had one semester construction-free. From that point on, construction vehicles, closed roads and orange barrels with flashing lights have dominated the campus and city. My college years will be remembered with images of front-end loaders, cranes, bulldozers, torn up grass and other sure signs of construction.\nAt least it will look great when I come back to visit. Unfortunately, I won\'t recognize the place I have called home for the past four years.\nThe construction has not just affected the students and residents. The businesses on Kirkwood have had a hard time getting customers, because many went elsewhere rather than battle the noise of machinery and construction-zone traffic. But whatever reason customers had for avoiding Kirkwood Avenue and other construction areas this summer, it has made it hard for stores to make ends meet.\nIf the University and city had just started one project at a time and completed each before starting another, it might not have caused such a disturbance in a place that is usually peaceful. From what I understand, this is just the tip of the iceberg; IU and Bloomington have yet to start construction of the graduate business school, turn 10th Street into a one-way street or widen the 45/46 bypass near College Mall. Will there ever be an end to this construction boom?\nLike I said, that must have been one hell of a dart game.