Bike path plan moves ahead

The City of Bloomington took one step forward in developing itslong-awaited alternative transportation plan last night, getting preliminary approval to go ahead with the project. \nThe city council voted 7-0-1 to pass the ordinance, with council member David Sabbagh passing on the vote, and council member Jason Banach was absent.\nThe plan, which would create numerous pedestrian and bicycle pathways over the course of a ten-year period, drew favorable reviews from several residents, but also received criticism about long-term effects of the plan, such as parking.\n"We are very excited to bring this plan forward," said city plan director Tom Micuda. "This is a very, very important step in the development of trying to implement our Growth Policies Plan policy towards mitigating traffic."\nMicuda and Tricia Collingwood, transportation planner, laid out some of the ideas the planning commission is looking at, including the possible addition of bike lanes to 3rd and Tenth streets, along with the potential conversion of Sheridan and Southdowns streets into one-way traffic avenues. \nLew May, General Manager of Bloomington Transit, supported the idea of more bike lanes in the city and creating safer roadways forpedestrians.\n"We at Bloomington Transit greatly support the concept of adding to, and improving our greenways, our pathways, and bicycle lanes in the community," he said. "We think adding bike lanes there (on 3rd and Tenth Street) is a very good idea. It will give us further opportunity to work with the city in addressing the concerns we have about inadequate roadway width on parts of both streets."\nResidents near Sheridan and Southdowns streets expressed concern over some of the problems that would be created by converting each street into a one-way road.\n"We are not in favor of a plan, in general, that would leave us with no place to park," said resident Lea Jaffe. \nOthers thought the plan could go even further.\n"I think that the plan is really not bold enough," said Buff Brown, calling for more connector paths in between cul-de-sacs and neighborhoods and even considering turning Hunter Street into a bikes-only road.\nCouncil member Jeffrey Willsey said he supports the plan, but wanted more information.\n"I think, for me, this is a concept that everyone can support, but I do have some questions and concerns regarding the long-term effects of this," he said, mentioning the fiscal implications of the plan and "how it will compete with other city projects for fiscal resources."\n"The benefit of having a plan like this is that we can make the pieces fit together, so what we wind up with is a rational, coherent plan for alternative transportation," said council member Chris Gaal.\n"Eventually, when we have the system, the whole will be greater than the sum of its individual parts."\nThe council will take a final vote on the plan next Wednesday.