Bloomington plans to create transportation committee

Posted on May 9, 2017
Bloomington’s City Council is expected to approve creating a transportation commission on May 22. (WJBC file photo)

By Eric Stock

BLOOMINGTON – Bloomington city officials say creating a new transportation committee will make it easier to engage the public.

City manager David Hales told WJBC’s Scott Laughlin the seven-member panel will examine all forms of transportation needs and make recommendations to the city council.

PODCAST: Listen to Scott and Patti’s interview with Hales on WJBC.

“Everything from how to we implement complete streets, or if there’s a recommendations or requests to modify speed limits, if there are requests to modify parking restrictions,” Hales said.

Hales said if the city council signs off on the commission in two weeks, one of its first tasks will be to examine a request to add bike lanes on Washington Street.

Hales said transportation matters are currently handled by city staff and any proposals go to the city council.

“It could definitely lead to an increase in activity in policy decisions by the council because they’ll see more of these issues brought to them than probably in the past,” Hales said.

He added the city is looking for volunteers to serve on the panel.

Eric Stock can be reached at [email protected].

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