Transportation needs are outlined in a new city-county plan through 2050

Bloomington, Indiana – A plan outlining transportation needs through 2050 was approved by the Bloomington-Monroe County Metropolitan Planning Organization Policy Committee on Friday.
The BMCMPO conducted three public meetings and collected 206 responses to an online poll prior to approval.

The infrastructure for bicyclists and pedestrians was improved, safety was prioritized, and existing facilities were maintained rather than expanded.

Of those surveyed, 44% felt secure using public transportation, 16% felt safe biking, and 73% felt safe walking. The community’s input was comparable to the 2045 plan, which the MPO last approved in 2020, according to Pat Martin, director of the MPO.

According to federal law, metropolitan planning must be carried out by an MPO in urbanized regions with 50,000 or more residents. For at least the next 20 years, each MPO is required to create a transportation plan outlining how the region will run and maintain its transportation infrastructure.

Bloomington, Ellettsville, and other urbanized areas of Monroe County are represented by the BMCMPO.

The BMCMPO technical advisory and citizen advisory committees had earlier recommended the plan. After that, it is reviewed by the Federal Highway Administration, the Federal Transit Administration, and the Indiana Department of Transportation. According to Martin, those organizations conduct a certification assessment to monitor the plan’s success every three to four years.

The plan, according to Martin, is a “strategic document” that outlines priorities and how they are being achieved.

At its meeting in March, the policy committee will consider adopting the Unified Planning Work Program and the Transportation Improvement Program. According to MPO transportation planner Katie Gandhi, the TIP outlines the logistics and federal funding for transportation during the ensuing five years.

According to Gandhi, while the 20-year plan is not legally enforceable, projects that are part of the long-term plan have a higher chance of getting federal funds.

Along with illustrative projects—which Martin referred to as more of a “wish list”—the long-term plan included identified projects that are currently being developed through 2030.
The projects that serve as examples include a $15 million multi-use pathway between East Matlock and North Headley Roads and a $40 million corridor renovation on East Third Street and East Atwater Avenue.

Martin was asked what the local government representatives could learn from it by Jillian Kinzie, a member of the Bloomington plan commission and the BMO policy committee. According to him, it demonstrates the public’s ideals, such as safety and mobility.

“Public input is reflected in this, and I believe that’s a really important contribution of this report,” Kinzie stated.