Page last updated on June 22, 2022 at 3:26 pm
Each week, Mayor Hamilton and Deputy Mayor Griffin provide video updates on recent news and key initiatives.
Transcript
Don Griffin:
Hello again, folks. It's me, Don Griffin, the Deputy Mayor for the City of Bloomington. And my good friend, John Hamilton, the Mayor of Bloomington. And today, we're going to talk about more infrastructure. We do a lot of infrastructure, don't we? We do a lot of infrastructure in the city.
John Hamilton:
Well, there's one project that's going on right now, up at 17th Street on the north side, kind of the northwest side of the city, that might be good to update folks on. Like we do in many projects, what we're doing with 17th Street, between Walnut and Grant. So going from the center of Walnut, east over to Grant Street, we're adding a multi-use path on the north side of 17th Street. Now, that's going to help connect to a bunch of stuff on 17th Street that'll go farther west and farther east, but this section is going to be a major multi-use path. We're also working on sidewalk ramps, making sure there are accessible ramps through that. So when you see that going on, it's just one of the things happening this summer that's helping make our city more accessible to people and helping bikes, pedestrians, and such have safe ways to get around.
Don Griffin:
And this is the perfect time to do that because we have far fewer folks.
John Hamilton:
Summertime is quieter.
Don Griffin:
I mean, so it's kind of a problem, but it's better to do it now than later on when there are twice as many people here in town.
John Hamilton:
Football games are going on, causing problems.
Don Griffin:
Okay. So it'll be ready for you.
John Hamilton:
Yeah.
Don Griffin:
So let's take a moment to discuss a new initiative to keep up with the needs of 237 miles of streets, 29 miles of side paths, and a 236-mile-long sidewalk network.
John Hamilton:
It's a lot.
Don Griffin:
It's a 236-mile-long sidewalk network? Wow. Okay.
John Hamilton:
So it's a lot to keep track of, keeping it up. And one of the things that's happening, we've just been starting this in the last few years, is a survey that's actually done kind of high tech with a LiDAR, Light Detection Ranging use. It's kind of like radar, but with light. And we now have this system that goes and looks at every one of our street miles, 237 miles of streets, and rates it. It can see the surface condition and gives us a really detailed mapping of every part of our streets. What we've never done before is we're going to do the same thing for 236 miles of sidewalks to get a detailed, foot-by-foot mapping of the quality and the condition of our sidewalks.
John Hamilton:
In addition, 29 miles of side paths. So all that data is coming in, and it'll be done by the end of this summer. And we can use it when we invest in sidewalks, streets, and side paths to say, "Where's the biggest problem? How do we make things better?" And it helps us invest more efficiently, so that's a big new infrastructure project. It'll be this summer, and it'll help us and the City Council invest in the improvements that we want to see.
Don Griffin:
Okay. So two very worthwhile projects that are going to make living here in Bloomington so much better, more sustainable, multi-use paths. Great. You got anything else you want to add?
John Hamilton:
Just be safe, watch out for the construction, take care of each other, and we'll update you next time.
Don Griffin:
All right. I'm Don Griffin, Deputy Mayor for the City of Bloomington. This is John Hamilton, our Mayor, and we'll see you next time.
Related Press Releases
Accessibility increases in Bloomington; B-Line Detour Defined; and a New Sidewalk Installation on Dunn Street–Click here.