BLOOMINGTON – Numerous infrastructure improvement projects are underway this season in Bloomington to advance community goals, including safety, sustainability, accessibility, equity, economic vitality, and quality of life.
The City will provide regular public updates on a range of these improvements as they progress. The City makes every effort to provide residents and visitors with updated and accurate information through all project schedules are weather-dependent
Parks & Recreation
New Shade Sail at Switchyard Park Dog Park
Parks and Recreation staff members are installing a new shade sail in the large dog park at Switchyard Park. The large dog area is closed through September 1 to accommodate the installation. Plans call for a dog rinse station to be added to the south side of the large dog area later this year.
Parks Infrastructure Projects
E&B Paving this week began the first stage of a project that includes repairs at various parks and trails. Crews began at RCA Community Park by repairing subgrade issues in the parking lot and will return next month to finish the parking lot with resurfacing and restriping. In the coming weeks, repairs will be made to the concrete decking on the B-Line Trail bridge over Grimes Line, and to the asphalt surface of the B-Line Trail between Second Street and the Monroe Convention Center.
Sections of the roads in Rose Hill Cemetery will be paved and a new trail will be added to Switchyard Park near the main performance stage. If weather permits in the next few months, crack sealing and centerline striping on the B-Line Trail will be done as well.
Follow the City of Bloomington, IN – Parks and Recreation on Facebook for updates on infrastructure and trail closures.
Downtown Tree Planting
Preparations are underway to ready 90 downtown sites for tree planting this fall. Sites where there were no trees, or where trees in poor condition or invasive Callery pear trees have been removed, were identified earlier this year. The first part of the project involves expanding tree pits and reinstalling tree grates. Contractor Davey Resource Group will begin tree planting this fall; tree species and sizes will vary based on the specific condition of each tree plot.
Engineering
Projects Completed
The West Allen Street greenway project between Walnut and Patterson, the East 3rd Street from Overhill to Eagleson resurfacing project, and the East Winslow Road from Walnut to Allendale resurfacing project is complete and reopened to traffic.
Hopewell, Phase I East
Construction will continue into next year on the first phase of the redevelopment of the old Hospital site. Beginning on or after September 11th Morton St will be closed between 1st St and 2nd St. Construction will continue for the next 14 months and is anticipated to be completed in November of 2024.
The Hopewell Phase 1 East project site is bounded by 2nd Street to the north, 1st Street to the south, B-Line to the east, and Rogers Street to the west. Additional information about the project and the contractor can be found at the following links: bton.in/mRp~I, hopewellbloomington.org & renascentinc.com.
17th Street (Monroe to Walnut)
A multi-use path is being constructed along the north side of 17th Street, and accessible sidewalk curb ramps are being installed. The street is being resurfaced and the existing traffic signal at the intersection of 17th Street at Madison Street/Kinser Pike has been replaced.
Construction began in April and is anticipated to be completed by the end of the year. The intersection of 17th Street and Kinser Pike has been reopened to traffic. The project is continuing to the west with a closure to eastbound traffic on 17th Street from Monroe Street to Maple Street.
This lane closure will remain in effect for the next couple of weeks and then the project will shift to repaving the roadway between Kinser Pike and Monroe Street.
More information is available on the project webpage at bton.in/1D30T.
Public Works
Resurfacing Projects
During the week of September 4, weather permitting, the Department of Public Works Street Division crews will begin milling and resurfacing on West Country Club from South Madison Street to South Rockport Road.
The Division will prep streets prior to resurfacing and will have restrictions during work hours, 7 a.m. until 4 p.m. Signage will be posted.
View an interactive map of 2023 paving projects at bton.in/tpNzZ.
Leaf Management
Starting in the Fall of 2023, the City is discontinuing its vacuum leaf collection in favor of supporting residents in mulching and composting the leaves in their yard on their own schedule.
If residents have more leaves on their property than can be mulched and composted, the City’s yard waste collection service will continue to collect paper bags and yard waste bins of dried leaves for free during the month of November.
You can find more information about leaf management here, including articles and videos about how to mulch and compost and locations around the city where you can pick up free yard waste bags.
