Kirkwood Scheduled to Reopen Week of June 8 with Pedestrian Enhancements; Progress on Garage Projects

Bloomington, Ind. - The City of Bloomington continues to advance projects enhancing safety, transportation, economic vitality, and quality of life this spring.  Improvements to city streets, parking facilities, and bicycle/pedestrian infrastructure are among the essential activities permitted to proceed by state and local regulations and in compliance with current public health guidelines. Several projects have been able to proceed more quickly and cause less disruption and inconvenience than with normal levels of traffic. City employees are practicing and working with contractors to implement CDC protocols regarding physical distancing, hygiene, and disinfection of vehicles and equipment to protect workers engaged in these projects and prevent community transmission of COVID-19.   

Kirkwood Avenue Maintenance Project 

Since April 1, the Kirkwood Avenue Maintenance Project has progressed steadily with the replacement of aging brick crosswalks at each intersection and the installation of removable bollard barriers to convert the city’s landmark boulevard into a pedestrian-friendly plaza on occasion. Crosswalks have thus far been installed at Indiana Avenue, Dunn, Grant, Lincoln, Washington, and Walnut Streets.  The length of Kirkwood is being milled and paved this week, with striping work scheduled to continue over the weekend and early next week.  Kirkwood has reopened to vehicular traffic from Indiana to Grant, and the rest of the street will reopen once striping has been completed.   

Removable bollards have been placed in racks at three locations near Kirkwood, where they will be stored when not in use.  In all, 44 curb ramps and 20 stamped concrete crosswalks at Indiana, Dunn, Grant, Lincoln, Walnut, and Washington have been constructed, together with 90+ metal ground sockets (to house removable bollards) along with Kirkwood.  The project is expected to be complete by June 10, seven weeks ahead of the original project completion deadline of July 31.  More information is available here.

Trades District and Fourth Street Garages   

Progress continues on the City’s two garage projects at the Trades District and on Fourth Street. Work on the garage that will serve the City’s new innovation district proceeds on budget and on schedule, with work to prepare the site, construct the foundation, and install utilities currently underway. The Trades District garage site is located just south of West Tenth Street between the Showers City Hall building and the B-Line Trail.  Tenth Street will be closed east of the construction site during the month of June. 

Its design approved by the City Plan Commission March 9, the Fourth Street Garage project also continues to progress according to plan.  Bids to construct foundation piers, site work, and elevators have been received and are currently being reviewed, with a contract to be awarded within the week.  The second bid package for structure and the rest of the garage construction has been released for bidding.  The City encourages any local construction business to contact Wilhelm Construction to register as a bidder for the project.

Milling/Paving and Concrete Repair 

The 2020 paving and concrete/curb repair season continue this week with paving along South Wingfield Drive from East Moores Pike to the street’s end, and from East Breckenmore Drive from South Wingfield to the road’s end. Paving crews will proceed next to East Regents Circle from Moores Pike to Regents Ct. Sidewalks are being installed this week along East Grimes Lane from South Walnut Street to South Henderson Street.  This year’s proposed paving schedule is mapped at this link. 

East Third Street Resurfacing/Reconfiguration Project                                                                     

The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) is currently paving a 1.4-mile section of East Third Street between College Mall Road and State Road 446 as part of a resurfacing/reconfiguration project.  Motorists should drive cautiously and remain alert to temporary lane shifts.   Following paving, the roadway will be reconfigured between Clarizz and S.R. 446 to include a center turn lane, with one travel lane in each direction. Bike lanes will also be incorporated on each side. The project is scheduled to be completed by August 2020.  More information about the project is available through INDOT at in.gov/indot or 1-855-463-6848. 

More information about current City-led infrastructure projects is available here.  When encountering any improvement projects, drivers are asked to travel slowly, cautiously, and distraction-free through every construction zone and be attentive to lane changes for their safety and that of the workers.