Street resurfacing projects will result in lane closures on Fourth Street, Sixth Street, College Avenue, Walnut Street and West Third Street beginning in early September, according to a city press release.
The construction projects aim to improve road conditions, accessibility and pedestrian safety. The City of Bloomington has scheduled the Downtown Street Maintenance Project to start construction on Sept. 3. The West Third Street Maintenance Project will begin in early September as well.
In addition to asphalt resurfacing, the city will implement accessible pedestrian curb ramps and intersection bump-outs to reduce crosswalk lengths. The eastbound right-turning lane at Fourth Street and College Avenue and the westbound right-turn lane at Fourth Street and Walnut Street will be removed.
Head-in angle parking on Sixth Street will change to back-in parking to create room for accessible spaces. The public can access the locations of the new accessible parking and a clear delineation of roads affected by construction on the City of Bloomington website.
West Third Street will undergo similar construction. The city plans to paint a clear buffer between the motor vehicle lane and the bike lane from Franklin Road to Landmark Avenue.
Additionally, a truck apron will be installed at the intersection of Third Street and Patterson Drive. Truck aprons allow larger vehicles to safely navigate sharp turns and provide extra room via a sidewalk outcropping.
The city plans to use temporary lane closures during construction, which may cause traffic and public transportation delays for students and Bloomington residents until the project is completed.
Jeremy Inman, the project manager for the downtown construction, said in an email that work on the roads will end by November 2024 or later, depending on the weather. The Third Street project will finish by the end of 2024.
Tax dollars from the downtown area’s designation as a Community Redevelopment Economic District provide the projects’ primary funding. The Indiana Department of Transportation Community Crossings Matching Grant Program gave additional funding for the West Third Street project.
