Bloomington residents who frequent the Rail Trail will need to find an alternative route for the next month as the City of Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department has announced a temporary closure for improvements at the Rogers Street crossing, starting October 20, as reported by the city's own news release. The closure point is just over a mile south of the trailhead on Country Club Drive, and less than a mile north of the trailhead at Church Lane, leaving Southern Meadows neighborhood access unaffected.
The construction aims to enhance both safety and accessibility, including the installation of a pedestrian-activated Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon (RRFB) that and a new streetlight is set to be installed for increased visibility of pedestrians traveling at night. The plan also includes widening the trail sections on both sides of the road to 12 feet and realigning the trail to meet Rogers Street at a right angle, according to the details provided by the Monroe County Highway Department’s notice on road closings.
As the trail transforms, no detour will be provided around the closure area, which could inconvenience some trail users. The Monroe County Highway Department also supports the project, approving a simultaneous 30-day closure and detour of South Rogers Street at the trail crossing. Commuters and trail enthusiasts alike are advised to prepare for the short-term disruption, which is slated to improve long-term accessibility and safety.
This is more than a simple resurfacing job, with the work scope extending to vegetation removal, site grading, and the installation of a stormwater inlet, all intended to integrate the updates seamlessly with the existing landscape of the Trail. The construction is slated to last no more than 30 days, as per the announcement on the City of Bloomington's website, where detailed information about the project and its impacts is readily available for the public's perusal.
