The City of Bloomington plans to build a new multi-use path on the east side.
The 10-foot-wide, two-way path would go along the east side of High Street from Arden Drive to Hunter Avenue.
A potential future phase would extend the path up to Third Street. The city says the project’s scope doesn’t currently include Third Street because of two studies: one regarding public transit operations there, and another studying the Atwater Avenue and Third Street corridors.
“It is likely that this project will be split into two phases to ensure that all information is available before making impactful decisions near those intersections,” the project’s description reads.
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The project’s goals also include replacing traffic signals at the intersections of Hillside Drive and Moores Pike, Second Street and Third Street. It also considers realigning the intersection of Hillside and Third, and possibly others.
Any work at the intersection of Third Street would happen in a future phase.
A detailed map of the proposed project is available here.
Bloomington’s Transportation Plan and Bloomington/Monroe County Metropolitan Planning Organization’s Transportation Improvement Plan both call for the project.
The total cost is estimated at $5 million. Construction is expected to start in 2026.
Up to 80 percent of the project, or about $3.8 million, will be federally funded. The other 20 percent will come from a 2022 general obligation bond passed by the city council.
The city held a public meeting Tuesday to collect public input. It was the second of two such meetings to occur since April 2023.
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Residents said they are concerned about stormwater, trees being removed, the path’s width, privacy, and how the project may impact the neighborhood’s character.
The city says stormwater will be evaluated by the project’s engineering consultant — Butler, Fairman * Seufert, Inc. It adds the project will address drainage concerns along the east side of High Street and consider drainage improvements along the west side.
Officials also say the project will necessitate tree removals, but that the path’s design will attempt to minimize removals or other impacts to existing trees — and that new trees will be planted where feasible.
Additional comments can be submitted online through April 16.
