City council funds sidewalk projects

The City of Bloomington Common Council met Wednesday for its first meeting of 2014 and allocated funding for six sidewalk projects.

The grand total of the recommended funding is $298,301.48, which is slightly less than the available funding.

Council members discussed the Common Council Sidewalk Committee’s 2014 report, which includes a recommendation sheet, maps and estimates for six recommended projects, funding criteria, an evaluation sheet and a history of funding. The committee makes recommendations to the council on the use of transportation-related funds budgeted for 2014.

These funds consist of $300,000 from the Alternative Transportation Fund, which receives surplus revenue from the Neighborhood Parking Program. Allocated funding is up from $275,000 in 2013.

The council approved the report 9-0.

A project on Kinser Pike has been listed for more than a decade due to the cost of the right-of-way, which controls traffic to prevent vehicles from conflicting with other vehicles or pedestrians. Though the project is too costly to complete in one year, the committee recommended $38,068.80 for the design of the project.
Construction will be considered in 2015.

The committee recommends a sidewalk be constructed from Madison Street to College Avenue, east of the installation of sidewalks on West 17th Street.
In the future, a roundabout will be constructed at Arlington Road and Monroe Street.

The project will include 650 feet of sidewalk with some storm weather component, which will cost $276,361.80, but the committee only committed $58,810.30 to the project this year.

The third project on East Seventh Street at the State Road 45/46 bypass will connect the side path on the west side and the bicycle tunnel with Seventh Street. It will involve installing both a ramp from the bypass and stairs from the tunnel. The committee recommends $20,000 go toward the project.

At Leonard Springs on the east side, the committee committed $15,000 last year to create a pedestrian-way. The project will be 1,200 feet long and cross 10 land plots.
This year, the committee also commits $15,000.

The fifth recommendation by the committee is $55,143, reduced from $63,414.45, to be used on a 900-foot project to complete missing sidewalk segments along Sheffield Drive. The project will also connect sidewalks along Plymouth Road and along Morningside Drive. It addresses the safety issue of cars moving too quickly down the winding hill from Sheffield toward Morningside.

The final project is a sidewalk from Maxwell Lane to midway up the hill at Jordan Avenue. The project will continue over the hill to Sheridan Drive. The estimated cost of the project is $96,279.38.

The Sidewalk Committee has set aside $15,000 for any other traffic costs that might be necessary throughout the year.

The council enacts legislation focused on the health and safety of the city and is responsible for controlling Bloomington’s property, finances and appropriation of money.

Follow reporter Kate Starr on Twitter @kastarr7.