By WMBD TV
BLOOMINGTON – A plan to revitalize downtown Bloomington will soon commence construction, and residents and business owners learned more about the design team’s vision for the project on Monday night.
The “Downtown for Everyone” Streetscape plan was unanimously approved by the city council back in April, and plans include widening sidewalks and enhancing green space while making the downtown more walkable and aesthetically appealing.
The first phase of the project will revamp four blocks of Main Street, from Jefferson Street to Locust Ave. It will cost around $12 million and take two whole construction seasons to complete.
Springfield, Illinois-based engineering firm Crawford, Murphy & Tilly is in charge of the project’s design, and representatives shared their vision.
Mike Sewell is the project manager and believes it will increase the city’s viability.
“It’s going to bring more people downtown, increase foot traffic, and the goal is not just to make downtown nicer, but elevating it in a way that makes it a regional destination,” he said.
Business owners shared concerns over whether their businesses will be impacted by the construction, but those concerns were mostly quelled when Sewell said the construction contract has specific guidelines protecting downtown businesses.
One provision requires any sidewalk work done in front of a business to either be done when the business is closed or after hours.
Sewell said the firm will begin the bid process soon, and they hope for construction to begin by May.
The full project, if approved, could revamp around 70 blocks of Bloomington’s downtown area. The estimated total cost is around $80 million.
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