10th Street mobility study: Extend Fee Lane, keep 10th 2-way

After about a year of studying 10th Street, the city of Bloomington and IU have decided to recommend keeping 10th Street and Law Lane two-way streets and extend Law Lane in both directions.

The presentation was made Thursday to a group of about 20 Bloomington residents at the Monroe County Public Library. Gorove/Slade Associates, Inc. was hired by the city and IU to conduct the 10th Street Mobility study.

Proposed alternatives included making Law Lane and 10th Street a one-way pair. The other suggestion was to make Law Lane and 10th Street two-way streets without extending Law Lane.

“We are trying to look at overall mobility, not just cars,” said Dan VanPelt, principal of Gorove/Slade Associations, Inc.

Rob Schiesel, project manager for Gorove/Slade Associates, Inc., said the study kept in mind all forms of transportation, such as pedestrians, bicycles and cars. He said buses in particular would have an easier time navigating two-way streets.

Schiesel said the alternative allows for the possibility of bike lanes on both sides of the streets. The two-way traffic would encourage motorists to slow down, which would make it less intimidating for mixed traffic.

The second alternative also fits IU’s Master Plan, VanPelt said.

The two streets would be connected, and Law Lane traffic would be directed toward 14th Street around Fee Lane.

Before deciding on the final alternative, the public gave insight into the solutions through public workshops.

If implemented, the project could be completed in three phases. The first phase of construction would be between Dunn Street and Fee Lane. The second phase would be from Fee Lane to Union Street, and the third phase would be from Union Street to the State Road 46 Bypass.

Schiesel said the third phase would make the most noticeable improvements.

Other improvements being considered for the area include bike lanes and changes to stoplight schedules, Schiesel said.

Some residents said they were not completely happy with the plan.

Bloomington resident Buff Brown said he would have liked to see 10th Street become a bus-only route.

“This is an added car capacity project,” he said.

Raymond Hess, senior transportation planner for the city of Bloomington, said 10th Street could not become an exclusively bus route because of businesses and parking lots that already exist and are only accessible via 10th Street.

Other residents raised concern about how surrounding homes would be affected by the project.

The final proposal for the project will be available to the public next month. There is still a need for funds to be raised.

“This is just the starting point,” Hess said.