Reinstalling the seven-line stop sign vetoed by Mayor John Hamilton

Bloomington, Indiana – A city council ordinance to reinstate stop signs at the seven-line intersection of Seventh and Dunn Street was vetoed by Bloomington Mayor John Hamilton.

In order to make biking safer for everyone on the road, Bloomington’s bike lanes were improved and expanded with the completion of the 7-line project.

The bill was first approved by the city council earlier this month, 5–4. Kate Rosenbarger, Isabel Piedmont-Smith, Matt Flaherty, and Stephen Volan were the four council members that abstained from voting.

During the council meeting on October 4, Councilmember Volan expressed doubts about the validity of reinstalling the stop signs at the crossing, citing insufficient proof.

Hamilton sent a message to the city council on Friday outlining his reservations about the law.

“The public is becoming familiar with the new traffic patterns along Seventh Street, including the replacement of the Dunn Street signs six months ago. Frequent changes along one corridor can cause greater concerns,” Hamilton wrote in the memo. “The Council vote to revert three intersections to the pre-2021 condition, with the possibility of it being changed again in a few months, can cause more confusion and directly presents public safety concerns.”

The veto must be overridden by the council with a two-thirds majority; the decision might be made as soon as this Wednesday.