By: Diane Benjamin
Part #5 will link to all previous stories: https://blnnews.com/2024/05/12/road-ratings-part-5/
The pic below shows all of the ratings of Bloomington roads. https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/36eea74c6ede4cd08e7d6ec03ed14246
All are rated between 3 and 8. The only roads I consider better than mediocre are light orange, yellow, and lime. The dark red (3’s) are the worst rated and the ones I calculated total lane miles of. The rated 4 roads are difficult to distinguish since they are just another shade of red/orange. If the City ever decides to only fix the worst roads, these roads would join the worst roads club long before all the 3’s are fixed.
The final list has 72 more roads. The 5 lane part of Mercer is included and part of 4 lanes on Washington. Every other road was 2 lanes. It is easy to measure the length of roads using GIS.
Mercer: .07 x 5 = .35 lane miles
Washington: .11 x 4 = .44 lane miles
All other roads: 5.37 x 2 = 10.74 lane miles
Add these to the previous total lane miles: 49.75 + .35 + .44 + 10.74 = 61.28 lane miles
I still believe the City can push a button or two and generate totals themselves. I only did this project because they haven’t told you how bad the roads are rated and are obviously not budgeting enough to fix even a tiny portion of them. Downtown for Everyone and rebranding is much more glamorous than fixing the roads.
A huge problem is many of the 61.28 lane miles are TINY roads. To be efficient a bunch of tiny roads all in one area would need to be bid together. That would mean lots of money targeted in just 1 or 2 wards. Alderman in the other wards would howl.
I mapped all or part of 216 roads. It is possible I missed some and the actual number of rotten roads is higher. The City thinks spending $10 million a year on roads and sidewalks is enough. It isn’t. These small roads will never get fixed. The actual number is closer to double the 61.28 lane miles because the roads rated 4 aren’t much better than 3’s.
The City mindset is not on roads. Until aldermen are elected who actually care that won’t change. Campaigning will be starting soon. All of them will say roads are a priority. Make them prove it. Right now you only have 1: Sheila Montney.
Maybe they should all be forced to sign a roads pledge!
Maybe they should sign a pledge to represent the people and not their own agendas.
Right? Maybe take a oath of office or something to pledge their commitment to SERVE the citizens they repesent.🤣🤣🤣
Noticed oaths aren’t at meetings?
Thank you for your road summary. This alone is ample reason to boot the current Mayor of Bloomington and all of the Council members this next election. I’ve repeatedly complained to my Ward 1 Alderwoman, but she is only interested in social programs and providing “free stuff” for those that are millstones of society. Same for the 2 County Board District 9 representatives…. totally irrelevant.
Bloomington taxpayers are rid of the former City Manager and spendthrift grifter. The new City Manager should be telling taxpayers how street repairs will be different, but he’s just another bureaucratic lifer on the teat of the taxpayer. Meet the new City Manager…same as the old!!
Hopefully, Dan Brady, the area’s favorite RINO and mayoral candidate will share his plans for street repairs. I live on a short street that is now rated 4 after the city filled a couple of potholes. A couple of extra trips will push my street to an 8 by their standards.
Sheila Montney voted against the budget because of the amount of spending on roads. She knows the truth.
So? She’s not effective in facilitating change. She’s one on those that waits until she knows the outcome then says look at me; I voted to protect the taxpayers. Has she proven effective rolling back the 100% water increase or rolled back ANY property tax increase or taxing body tax levy? Nope… she’s just like my representatives in Ward 1, Section 9 and/or state. Irrelevant and ineffective.
She’s been on them since she was elected. Vote for better people!
Ok Dan Brady, balls in your court. Pledge to allocate at least $100,000,000 to resurface ROADS that people drive on in cars. No excuses. No walking trails either.