Businesses welcome the construction of neighboring B-Line

Owner and pastry chef Mark Brethauer of Angela B’s-A Galleria of Cakes was anxious about having to shut down his shop for a day because of road closures for construction of the overhead B-Line Trail bridge.

“We were a little worried we would have to shut down for the day,” said Brethauer, whose shop is located at Grimes Lane and Morton Street. “But the road was only closed for eight or nine hours and didn’t affect us that much at all.”

On Nov. 10, the City of Bloomington limited access to Grimes Lane/Patterson Drive from Walnut to Rogers streets, and Morton Street from Allen Street to Grimes Lane/Patterson Drive.

Both roads provide routes to and from local businesses such as Angela B’s.
Sweet Grass, located at 405 W. Patterson Drive, was also expecting to be closed all day, General Manager Ryan Andrews said.

“You never like to see your road get closed right in front of you, but we’re excited for the B-Line to be completed,” Andrews said. “One afternoon is worth it for us.”

Construction began on the first 0.61 mile section of the B-Line on May 20, 2008, and the second 2.41-mile section of the trail is currently being constructed.

With an anticipated completion date during late summer 2011, the B-Line Trail, about a $3.5 million project, will ultimately connect itself to the Bloomington Rail Trail and Clear Creek Trail, forming a continuous trail system of 7.4 miles.

The bridge construction over Grimes Lane was included in the plans for the B-Line Trail for several reasons, said Dave Williams, operations and development director for Bloomington Parks and Recreation.

Williams said the bridge was planned to elevate people over the continuous car traffic below. He said he believes the trail will promote foot traffic to businesses along it.

“Bloomington has a national reputation as a quality place to live,” he said. “We are seeing properties near the trail redevelop or ask to be relocated along the trail. These trails are of no cost to the user and facilitate perennial walking activity as well.”

For local businesses along Grimes Lane and Morton Street, upcoming partial road closures are inevitable, but some business employees said they will not pose a particularly high threat.

“Anything that can give us more exposure to the south side of town is nothing but positive,” Andrews said.