Proposed Washington St. bike lanes set for Wednesday public hearing

Posted on June 13, 2017

 

City Public Works Director Jim Karch explains the bike lane proposal to Bloomington resident Karen Arsenault at an open house Tuesday at the McLean County Museum of History.

 

By Howard Packowitz

BLOOMINGTON – On the eve of a public hearing, Bloomington residents were given another chance to sound off on a plan to add bike lanes to one of the city’s main thoroughfares.

Tuesday, a couple of aldermen and the city’s public works director were available to answer questions about proposed bike lanes on Washington St., from Lee to St. Joseph Drive.

“I just see an accident waiting to happen if they do this,” said Ruth Haney, who drives on Washington Street every day.

Council woman Diana Hauman supports the idea.

“It’s the future. More and more people are biking, whether it’s for recreation or because they have to,” said Hauman.

“We live in a fairly affluent community, but there are a number of people that don’t have cars, and they’re either relying on Connect Transit and or their bikes to get to and from work,” Hauman said.

Bloomington’s Planning Commission will conduct Wednesday’s hearing starting at 4 p.m. at City Hall, and the commission might be ready to make a recommendation to the city council.

Howard Packowitz can be reached at [email protected]

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