W. 2nd Street “Imaginative Resurfacing” Gets Underway

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 23, 2008

For more information, please contact:
Daniel Lopez, Communications Director, City of Bloomington, 349-CITY, lopezd@bloomington.in.gov


Bloomington, IN - The City of Bloomington Public Works Department will begin a resurfacing project today on West 2nd Street from Walker Avenue to Basswood Drive that will include the creation of new green spaces and shoulder repaving. No road expansion will be taking place as the plan creatively seeks to build turning and bus pullover lanes at strategic points along W. 2nd Street. Instead, lanes will be narrowed from 18ft. to 11ft. in order to make better use of the existing road space.

The project will be critical in helping to accommodate the traffic increases sure to affect W. 2nd Street during next year's W. 3rd Street Improvement Project, and the City of Bloomington is looking to make early preparations to allow commuters a suitable alternative. Turning lanes will be built into existing road plans and traffic signals at key intersections will be upgraded. Additionally, the narrowed lanes will serve to naturally reduce speeds in the highly residential areas and new medians will consist of entirely green spaces.

While preliminary work will begin today, milling and paving is anticipated to begin on Thursday, May 28. Completion of the project is expected to happen the week of June 23, well before the arrival of most IU students for Fall semester.

"It's important that residents understand that this resurfacing project represents an innovative approach to alleviating some of the traffic challenges that the W. 3rd Street project might create next year," said Mayor Mark Kruzan of the project. "It is not an expansion, and in actuality it will allow us to build in new green spaces and take full advantage of our current road."

If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to contact Adam Wason at 349-3419, or at wasona@bloomington.in.gov .

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