The city plans to add traffic calming measures along Weatherstone and Hawthorne.
(Amy Bushman, WFIU/WTIU News)
The City of Bloomington’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Commission has approved the installation of traffic-calming devices and similar measures along the Hawthorne Drive and Weatherstone Lane corridor.
The city’s transportation plan defines greenways as low-speed, low-volume shared roadways. This greenway is meant to provide a safer north-south connection between Indiana University’s campus and the neighborhoods south of Hillside Drive by installing speed bumps and bump outs along the corridor.
Many who live near the corridor oppose the project. Some who attended the Monday meeting spoke out strongly against it.
Tensions were also high in part because the more than a dozen members of the public in attendance were not allowed to comment on the project that evening.
The hostility was on full display when attendee Justin Foster spoke up regardless, telling the commission members, “Shame on you all.”
Resident Stephanie Hatton, who has been vocal on similar projects in the past, also tried to weigh in but was cut off by Planning Services Manager Ryan Robling.
“I’m so sorry, public comment is closed,” Robling said in the middle of Hatton’s remarks. Hatton continued but was again cut off. “No! I’m so sorry. It’s closed,” Robling said.
Foster interjected again after Robling said public comment was not allowed “So why are we all here?” he asked. Robling responded: “I don’t know.”
Foster also pleaded with commission members to allow public comment. “Would you make a motion and allow public comment, please, on this city-changing ridiculous escapade that’s going on here?” he said.
Robling fired back: “Public comment is closed.”
Commission member Ann Edmonds told Foster no member has the authority to do what he asked of them. But Foster did not back down.
“Why don’t you try and see what happens?” Robling said. “(See) if any parliamentarian stops you.”
That was one of many points in the meeting at which several people spoke over each other. Foster was at the center of several of those exchanges.
Some on the commission floated the idea of making last-minute changes to some aspects of the project. There was some discussion on that point, but member Pauly Tarricone spoke against it.
“Any kind of proposed changes would — based on public feedback, at least — only result in a reduction in safety of the design as presented,” Tarricone said. “I think any further reductions in any of these mechanisms are invariably going to produce less safe outcomes, which I think is directly contradictory to our role as a commission.”
The city will install speed bumps and bump outs on Weatherstone Lane north of Hillside, as well as a non-motorized path connection to Hawthorne.
The greenway is included in plans for a connected biker-pedestrian trail running from the city’s northern and southern ends, which is called for in the transportation plan.
Based on previous meetings, the project is expected to cost about $350,000.
The ordinance was motivated partially by the Hawthorne-Weatherstone Greenway project. Rollo represents the city’s fourth district, which includes that area.
The commission is the final approving body of any projects within the Traffic Calming and Greenways Program. The project will go out to bid this fall. Construction is expected to begin in mid-2024.
