Bloomington residents say they have mixed opinions on the Indiana Department of Transportation’s plans for a portion of State Road 45, also locally known as 10th Street.
People provided input at a Thursday hearing on the project at the North Central Church of Christ. It was the first, and so far, the only planned meeting on the project at which people could express their opinions in person.
The roughly $9.8 million project considers altering a 0.19-mile portion of S.R. 45/10th Street between the State Road 46 bypass and the intersections at Pete Ellis Drive and Discovery Parkway.
The planned changes include:
- Widening the road and installing exclusive left- and right-turn lanes on all approaches to the Pete Ellis Drive/Discovery Parkway intersection and one through lane in each direction
- Adding a painted bike lane in both directions
- Adding a sidewalk along the south side of the road
- Reconstructing the multi-use path along the north side of the road
- Adding crosswalks and pedestrian signals, as well as replacing traffic signals at the Pete Ellis Drive intersection
The agency said the changes will reduce traffic congestion, make navigating the road safer and more efficient, and improve pedestrian mobility, among other things.
Many attendees said they support the project conceptually but think aspects could be improved. Many comments focused on the planned bike lanes.
Under the current plans, the bike lanes will be installed alongside car lanes on S.R. 45/10th Street. They will be separated from vehicles by painted lines.
Mitch Ward said he lives on 10th Street and bikes daily. He said he’d prefer that INDOT install a separated bike lane furthers away from vehicular traffic — although he noted some prefer to bike on the road.
“One of the considerations I would ask for is potentially using really anything we can to make bikes more visible in that section,” Ward said. “One of the things that I’ve seen (that has) worked in other cities before is solid green paint — either through the intersection or leading up to it, which can help.”
Another bicyclist said he has reservations against painted bike lanes because they would not provide cyclists physical protection from moving vehicles.
Attendee Collin Nielsen called the proposed bike lanes unnecessary and potentially dangerous.
“The bike lanes — in my personal opinion — are death traps, considering that the minimum speed that people will go will be probably 35 mph, or, honestly, will be higher than that most of the time,” Nielsen said.
Nielsen said he would instead support installing a new multi-use path along the south side of S.R. 45/10th Street.
“Removing the bike lanes will reduce the width of the intersections as well, which will reduce the crossing distance for pedestrians and cyclists," he said.
Also in attendance was Hopi Stosberg, the Democratic nominee for the District 3 seat on the Bloomington City Council. District 3 includes the portion of 10th Street the project addresses.
Stosberg called the project overdue, adding she is excited by the prospect of more pedestrian connectivity in the area.
But she, too, expressed concerns.
Stosberg said she worries about the speed of traffic going from the S.R. 46 bypass to the Pete Ellis Drive and Discovery Parkway intersections.
Drivers coming from the bypass go over a hill before arriving at those intersections. Stosberg said drivers often accelerate going down the hill.
But drivers also must merge into two lanes of traffic near the bypass, which forces traffic to slow.
“I think those two lanes are needed in a lot of ways because of the traffic flow and the amount of traffic there is on that road,” Stosberg said. “But I think that having two lanes will encourage people to speed. And as we know, vehicles drive the designed speed, not the sign speed.”
Stosberg said she also is concerned about INDOT’s planned curb designs at the Pete Ellis Drive intersection. She worries drivers won't be able to see crossing pedestrians.
“The way that curve goes around, it facilities cars going really quickly, and that ends up endangering pedestrians,” Stosberg said. “Pedestrians are small, and vehicles are big. If you’re not looking, then it’s really easy to miss somebody.”
INDOT wants to start construction in November 2024. There are several steps that must happen before then.
A representative for the agency said public comments will be taken into consideration, and the plans may be altered before they are finalized.
Those who were unable to attend Thursday’s hearing may also submit comments by emailing engineering consultant Crawford, Murphy & Tilly, Inc. at creiter@cmtengr.com. People can also submit comments to INDOT Customer Service online or by calling 855-463-6848.
INDOT will accept comments until Nov. 3.
