Free food and trivia will be some of the highlights of the community outreach and participation events during Bloomington’s Safety Week, running from April 1-5. The City of Bloomington is sponsoring Safety Week as a part of the larger Safe Streets and Roads for All initiative according to a March 30 press release.
There will be three main events:
Taco ‘Bout Safety: 5-7 p.m. Tuesday, April 2, at Waldron Hill Buskirk Park will feature free tacos for participants.
Scoops & Spokes: 6:30-8 p.m. Wednesday, April 3, at The Chocolate Moose will feature free ice cream for participants.
Snacks & Trivia: 6:30-8 p.m. Thursday, April 4th, at Friendly Beasts Cider Company which will feature free snacks for participants.
City staff and design consultants working with the city will host a variety of events across the city, including school presentations and pop-up booths. Additionally, the city will conduct surveys where the community can comment on city safety.
“We really want to learn from the public which locations feel comfortable or uncomfortable while walking, biking, driving and using any other mode of transportation on city roadways,” Planning Services Manager Ryan Robling said in the release. “Safety Week underscores the city's commitment to prioritizing the safety and well-being of all roadway users.”
Safe Streets and Roads for All is a national grant program from the U.S. Federal Highway Association. It offers financial grants to governmental subdivisions, such as cities, towns or counties, to help develop action plans to eliminate roadway deaths.
The Safe Streets and Roads for All initiative was created as a response to a growing rate of roadway deaths nationwide. The most recent data from 2021 indicates upward of 40,000 deaths on roads and streets across the country. Indiana saw 1,000 of these deaths in 2021. Data trends indicate no significant change in the years since.
Over $5 billion was initially allocated to this program, with $1.7 billion having been granted to various government bodies since its inception in 2022.
Bloomington began working on its Safe Streets and Roads for All plan in fall of 2023 and plans to officially adopt an action plan in mid-2024 according to its website. The action plan will include infrastructural developments, community safety engagement and actionable goal setting at all levels of government.
On March 11, the city installed new barriers between the bike lane and motor lane on Third Street between Eagleson Ave. and Indiana Ave.
