By Eric Stock
BLOOMINGTON – Bloomington has identified 27 road projects that it will like to get done in the next two decades, provided there’s money to pay for them.
The city has presented a streets master plan based on a $100,000 Hanson Professional Service study the city commissioned in 2014.
City Manager David Hales told WJBC’s Scott Laughlin the new streets master plan provides an objective blueprint for what the city’s transportation priorities over the next 20 years.
PODCAST: Listen to Scott’s interview with Hales on WJBC.
“How do we take out a lot of the subjective or sometimes the lack of data to decide which street project should go next?,” Hales asked.
The report doesn’t set a price tag for any project. It uses criteria to determine which roads are in the most critical need of help.
Seven of the road projects are new alignments. The study does not set a price tag for the projects.
Hales added once the plan is posted online, residents are encouraged to give feedback.
“We invite all the public to look at these and especially if there are some streets in your neighborhood or you know of some of these areas you find frustrating,” Hales said.
The projects include two parts of Fort Jesse Road, Hershey Road and Oakland Avenue and plans work in all parts of the city.
The City Council on Monday voted to spend about $2 million to match $8 million in federal funds to finish the Hamilton Road extension between Bunn Street and Commerce Parkway.
Eric Stock can be reached at [email protected].
