Bloomington releases list of streets to be resurfaced, repaired

Bloomington resurfacing map
Bloomington has eight major roads and 15 residential streets and alleys that are scheduled to receive repairs this year. (Photo courtesy www.cityblm.org)

By Eric Stock

BLOOMINGTON – The City of Bloomington has posted on its website the list of nearly two dozen streets that will be getting resurfaced or repaired this summer.

Public Works Director Jim Karch told WJBC’s Scott Laughlin city engineers drive all the city’s streets to find the worst ones, but he said crews try to give priority to areas that draw the most complaints. That’s why, he said, residential streets can no longer be forgotten.

PODCAST: Listen to Scott’s interview with Karch on WJBC.

“You can’t just focus on the major roads because a lot of the residential (streets) have been ignored for decades,” Karch said. “We have got to find the balance to be able to do both.”

The city plans to spend about $3.8 million on road work this summer, but Karch says that’s nowhere near enough to fix everyone’s streets.

“We needs about $8- to $9 million per year to really get the streets in better condition,” Karch said.

Karch said city engineers inspects every street every three years and priority is given to the ones in most need of repairs.

“Picture there’s fires all over the place and you have only one fire extinguisher, so you are pointing it in the best way you can,” Karch said.

The city council in April awarded a contract to Rowe Construction of Bloomington to handle the street improvements.

Eric Stock can be reached at [email protected].

Blogs

Labor Day – Expanding voting rights for all

By Mike Matejka Because of COVID, there is no Labor Day Parade this year.  It’s always a great event for our everyday workers to march proudly down the street and enjoys the festive crowd. If there had been a parade, this year’s Labor Day theme was to be “150 years of struggle: your right to vote.” …

Is federal mobilization the answer?

By Mike Matejka As President Donald Trump threatens to send federal marshals into Chicago, over the objections of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, recall another Illinois Governor who protested the incursion of armed federal personnel into the city.   Those federal troops, rather than calming, escalated the situation, leading to deaths and violence. Illinois poet Vachel Lindsay…

In these troubled times, to my fellow white Americans

By Mike Matejka Our nation is at a unique watershed in human relations. African-Americans have been killed too many times in the past before George Floyd, but the response to this man’s death is international and all-encompassing. I was a grade-schooler during the Civil Rights 1960s. I watched Birmingham demonstrators hosed and the Selma – Montgomery…

Workers’ Memorial Day – Remember those whose job took their life

Looking around our community, when we say employer, most will respond to State Farm, Country, or Illinois State University.   We too often forget those who are building our roads, serving our food, or our public employees. COVID-19 has made us more aware of the risk.  Going to work every day for some people means…