Hoosier born and bred. Research Software Engineer at Indiana University. Follow IU soccer and women's basketball and the Indy Eleven. Biker.
Property tax measure would short school funding by $750M
Property tax measure would short school funding by $750M
"According to a fiscal impact statement from the Legislative Services Agency, the bill would reduce property tax funding for public schools by three-quarters of a billion dollars over the next three years. Cities, towns and counties would also see big cuts."
Bloomington, in particular, would lose out on $17 million over the next three years, about 10% of expected revenue.
Bloomington bike/ped improvements scheduled for this year
Bloomington bike/ped improvements scheduled for this year
3rd Street Hawthorne to Rose Protected Bike Lane
April-July: E. Longview Ave. Neighborhood Greenway
May-August: Thornton/Arden Dr/Washington Neighborhood Greenway
North Dunn Street Sidewalk Connection
Winslow-Rogers median island at Xavier Court
Crosswalk Improvement (Design)
West 2nd Street Modernization and Safety Improvements
The first one might be complete? I haven't been by there yet.
Photo gallery: Hundreds Protest Trump and Musk During “Hands Off” Day of Action in
Photo gallery: Hundreds Protest Trump and Musk During “Hands Off” Day of Action in @bloomingtonin
@Emmeline @bloomingtonin Don't give them ideas! I suspect that the goal is to make it so unusable that they can rip out the bike lanes without anyone complaining :)
How not to build a bike lane
How not to build a bike lane
Stop sign. Go one block. Stop sign. Go one block. Stop sign. Bike lane closed. But good news, there's a sharrow marked in the car lane!
The worst is approaching Dunn Street from the east. You have to avoid eastbound traffic, westbound traffic, and southbound traffic as you try to get out of the bike lane and into the sharroad. Just a total cluster.
Safety among public’s top concerns for Dunn Street Multiuse Project
Safety among public’s top concerns for Dunn Street Multiuse Project
"The $3.5-million project, funded by city bonds and federal money, would add a multiuse path along one side of North Dunn Street between the Indiana 45 Bypass and East Clover Lane. That’s the first street into the Blue Ridge neighborhood.
The overall goal is to improve accessibility to the Matlock Heights and Blue Ridge neighborhoods"
Bloomington Announces Ambitious New Transit Plan: The Monorail
Bloomington Announces Ambitious New Transit Plan: The Monorail
"The sleek, single-rail system promises to reduce congestion, cut commute times, and introduce a futuristic flair to Bloomington’s skyline. Proposed features include onboard announcements narrated by a holographic Hoagy Carmichael and complimentary B-Line binoculars for riders to enjoy breathtaking views of limestone rooftops and urban deer."
@bloomingtonin Neighborhood sounds a bit like a low-flying plane is constantly nearby now. I wonder how many people are running generators?
Storms coming through Bloomington
Storms coming through Bloomington
Tornado warning on the south side, but we've got a nice little thunderstorm up north as well. Power is out.
New data shows most dangerous streets in Monroe County, Indiana
New data shows most dangerous streets in Monroe County, Indiana
"There have been 250 pedestrian-vehicle collisions in the reported years, 81 of which have caused serious injury. The most dangerous streets for pedestrians in Monroe County are in downtown Bloomington and Indiana University’s campus."
https://indianapublicmedia.org/news/new-data-shows-most-dangerous-streets-in-monroe-county.php
Bloomington 10th Street Safety Improvement survey
Bloomington 10th Street Safety Improvement survey
The city is considering improvements to 10th Street between Indiana and Walnut. It's a high-speed yet narrow corridor that goes between the north side of Indiana University and downtown, and I'm not sure what you could really do with it without removing at least one car lane. Still, fill out the survey here!
Mystery solved: ghost bike on Ind. 45 damaged by snowplow, then recycled
Mystery solved: ghost bike on Ind. 45 damaged by snowplow, then recycled
"A bicycle memorial marking the site where (Michael Brooks) died after a van struck the bike he was riding nearly six years ago will return with the arrival of spring.
In January, motorists on Ind. 45 near Unionville noticed that a white bike which had long been attached to the street sign at the intersection with North Russell Road was gone."
Fortunately Kirkwood will be closed to car traffic for the summer soon. It has all the same stop signs, but a much wider car-free area and not nearly as much of a climb. Kirkwood will be a much better east-west route for biking than the 7-Line will be.
Bloomington 7-Line to be ruined by stop signs
Bloomington 7-Line to be ruined by stop signs
"Some cyclists had complained the stop signs would require them to stop at nearly every cross street, which would impede their momentum both up- and downhill. However, some bicyclists also said they were stopping at nearly every cross street anyway, because they always had to worry about inattentive and/or confused motorists failing to yield."
"I never thought leopards would eat MY face!" sobs Ellettsville Town Council.
"I never thought leopards would eat MY face!" sobs Ellettsville Town Council.
“These other places that are sitting there saying it’s impossible and the sky’s falling, well, the laws are directed towards people like that, not us,” Ellis said.
City of Bloomington Launches E-Bike Voucher Program to Expand Sustainable Transportation
City of Bloomington Launches E-Bike Voucher Program to Expand Sustainable Transportation
The City of Bloomington's Pilot e-Bike Voucher Program provides point-of-purchase e-bike vouchers for of up to $2,000 for qualified low-income residents that can be used towards the purchase of an e-bike at the following local bike shops; Bicycle Garage, Bloomington Bicycles, and Revolution Bike and Bean.
Reporter Joe Hren asks: Convention leaders pushing expansion along, but where's the parking?
Reporter Joe Hren asks: Convention leaders pushing expansion along, but where's the parking?
Easy-Peasy! Provide a great pedestrian area, lots of buses and bike-shares, and we're in like Flynn! Who needs parking?
"Architects presented updated renderings and floor plans at a recent CIB meeting. The refinements help get the project within budget...The expansion amounts to about 61,000 square feet"
Kirkwood Avenue to close for annual Outdoor Dining Program
Kirkwood Avenue to close for annual Outdoor Dining Program
"Predictable economic stability and improved safety to Kirkwood.
“Students are able to walk through the streets. They’re going across the streets without worrying about cars, Ubers, DoorDash. It brings a sense of order and safety to that area,” said Costello."
My only complaint: "Some residents voiced concern over accessibility issues" but 40% of people with disabilities don't drive anyway.
https://indianapublicmedia.org/news/kirkwood-avenue-to-close-for-annual-outdoor-dining-program.php
Bloomington Peace Choir performing at the library for Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Bloomington Peace Choir performing at the library for Martin Luther King Jr. Day @bloomingtonin
@KrissyKat @bloomingtonin My guess is they're the only ones that could afford the bribes.
Mr. Hogan Goes To Washington
Mr. Hogan Goes To Washington
"So, I picked up the credentials from the ... Inauguration Committee today and asked if there was a schedule. They were very hostile, to be honest, and I thought, “That’s weird.” Then it started leaking that all the ... inauguration activities, even the parade, would be indoors. Even worse, there would only be eight credentialed photographers allowed to photograph it."
Law Lane Pedestrian Safety Audit
Law Lane Pedestrian Safety Audit
"Last year, a pedestrian was struck crossing Law Lane at Fee Lane in Bloomington, Indiana. Was this a one-off accident, or has there been a pattern of crashes at that intersection? Are there changes that could be made to improve pedestrian safety in the area?"
B Square Bulletin shuts down after five years
B Square Bulletin shuts down after five years
This is a real loss for the Bloomington community. The B Square has been the best and often only source of local government news since its beginning. We will miss your great reporting @chronicallydave !
https://bsquarebulletin.com/2024/12/20/five-years-one-final-b-square-bulletin-thank-you/
@KrissyKat @bloomingtonin I only know what I read in the papers. The council refused to consider the mayor's pick for the historic preservation commission, and the deputy mayor accused the council of trying to raise the salary of the spouse of one of the members.
@markstos @bloomingtonin So I suppose bike route algorithms recommend the bypass generally? I wouldn't. Between the debris thrown up on the path by speeding cars, and just generally the amount of carbon monoxide you suck in, I'll take my ebike quite a bit farther to avoid it.
@markstos @bloomingtonin Maybe because it is high car ownership and car density? 🙂 Past Griffy there is the dog park and the north end of Cascades, so it really finishes out the circuit I think. Also at the 2500 block of Walnut there is an area designated as an "Urban Village Center", so maybe they'll do something with that as well.
@KrissyKat @bloomingtonin Yep, that thread has it right AFAIK. A big area in the middle of campus was fenced off, I need to swing by and see if it's been opened back up now.
@failedLyndonLaRouchite @bloomingtonin Listening in on the meeting about this...it has the feeling that they will be going all night 😬 A presentation from a homeowner followed by commission discussion and we're 45 minutes in. There are going to be public comments for hours.
@failedLyndonLaRouchite @bloomingtonin This particular kerfuffle is about tearing down some single-family houses and replacing them with apartment buildings.
@bloomingtonin My recommendation is that they replace LOS all through the document with "Cars Go Fast Level".
For example, SR 45 and Airport Road could say, "Based on the capacity analysis results, the intersection operates at Cars Go Fast Level B during the PM peak hour in 2019"
@Kashmir There are plenty of racks downtown, I think, though not so many on the east and west sides. Are you looking for a locker instead of a rack specifically?
@bloomingtonin (And this being Bloomington, a couple of people to complain about the Hawthorne Greenway) 🙄
@markstos @bloomingtonin The speaker said he'd been in the job for many years, but it was only in the last five or so he really felt that the city was starting to make forward progress.
@bloomingtonin Vote is 5-0 in support with one abstention, the commissioner felt they didn't have enough information to vote.
Quick discussion of merging the traffic, bike/ped, and parking commissions. Will take public commissioners down from 21 people to five.
That's the end! Public meeting on Indiana Avenue tomorrow at Sample Gates. Not sure whether filling out a survey is sufficient public comment or whether I should be talking in all these meetings as well. Toot you tomorrow!
@bloomingtonin (Got pulled away from the computer for a while.) Public comment on Indiana Avenue was mostly positive, one person wanted the project extended all the way to 17th!
Next project is a redo of Countryside and Southern Pines traffic calming. Surveys seem to indicate that residents think cars are still going too fast.
A commissioner asks if anyone was against the project. Coordinator says a few people wanted traffic calming pulled out altogether, but a small minority.
Now on to Indiana Avenue! Coordinator mentions there have been several incidents on the corridor, but they haven't put together a proposal yet. They will put something together after tomorrow's public meeting. Three separate meetings over the summer to come up with a plan.
Commisioners are asking for crash data (they will make it public next month).
@bloomingtonin Rode over to check on the progress of this. It's moving along, with something like 30 yards of trail complete and open for some reason. Looks like the whole piece should be open by the fall though! #trails
@bloomingtonin 1PM: A few more cars in the lots, a few more parties going on. A few people have staked out benches at Miller-Showers Park. Lots of IU students outside with glasses in hand.
Wait, those are cups, sorry