- Evening public works director for the city of Bloomington. It is Tuesday March 10th 2026 and we are
- in the Bloomington City Hall council chambers for one North Morton Street. We also have a live zoom
- link with a meeting ID and passcode on the agenda for tonight's meeting.
- And if you are on zoom and need to offer any comment or answer any questions We'll use the raise hand
- function or for your agenda item. We'll just unmute you and Otherwise, i'll turn it over to elizabeth
- corrone president of the board of public works Thank you adam. I will call to order tonight's meeting
- of march 10th 2026 First we have messages from the board members. Are there any messages from the board?
- None we will move to petitions and remonstrances. This is the time for anyone who has questions about
- items that are not on the agenda There's no one in council chambers other than staff if there's anybody
- on zoom with a question about something not on the agenda Please use the chat function or raise your
- hand Okay And we will move to the consent
- Agenda tonight's consent agenda includes minutes from December 16 2025 minutes from December 29 2025
- resolution 2026-012 ITS surplus to binary heart resolution 2026-013 pushcart license for big dog cart
- LLC change orders to
- 48 and 49 for the Hopewell East construction contract with milestone contractors LLC public improvement
- bond acceptance for Renwick phase 3 Addendum to the service agreement with Ivy Tech for a CDL program
- and payroll There are any items that need to be removed from the consent agenda tonight Any questions
- from the board on the consent agenda Public comment on the consent agenda
- None on zoom. All right seeing none. Is there a motion? I move we approve the consent agenda for March
- 10th 2026 second With a motion in a second, I will call the roll Cox Deckard. I Roach I Caron I motion
- passes Next we will move on to new business
- The first item is Amendment 3 to the on call service agreement with R.E.A. for engineering services.
- Good evening Neil Copper with the engineering department. This is an existing contract with R.E.A. It
- provides as needed assistance with engineering services.
- This amendment increases the total contract amount to allow continued use, supporting various projects,
- particularly working on design for resurfacing contracts, supporting the public works department. The
- amendment increases the total amount by $100,000 for a new total not to exceed of $404,143 and 60 cents.
- Staff has reviewed and supports this amendment and I'd be happy to answer any questions. Thank you.
- Questions from the board on this item.
- Public comment on this item. None on zoom. All right. Seeing none is there a motion. I move that we
- approve the amendment three to on call service agreement with R.E.A. for engineering services. Second.
- I will call the roll. Cox Deckard aye. Roach aye. Caron aye. Motion passes.
- Next item is the LPA consulting agreement with our EA for engineering services for downtown curb ramps
- phase five Neil copper again. This is a new contract for a project that is expected to include curb
- ramps and crosswalk improvements along both east
- both East 3rd Street and Atwater Avenue adjacent to IU campus. The project is programmed in the Metropolitan
- Planning Organization for federal funding support for both design and construction. REA was selected
- to perform the design services for the project based on their response to a request for proposals. The
- contract is set at a total not to exceed amount of $271,490.
- Construction is anticipated to occur in 2029 staff has reviewed and supports this contract and I would
- be happy to answer any questions Thank you questions from the board I Just Want to confirm that at water
- and east third between Indiana and High Street That's generally the area. Correct?
- Public comment on this item. Okay. Is there a motion. I move that we approve the LPA consulting agreement
- with R.E.A. for engineering services for downtown curb ramps phase five. Second. I will call the roll.
- Cox Deckard aye. Roach aye. Caron aye. Motion passes. Thank you.
- Thank you. Next item is the right of way closure request for Centerpoint Energy. Good evening. Kyle
- ball from engineering. So Miller pipeline on behalf of Centerpoint Energy is requesting sidewalk closures
- lane closures and alley closures associated with utility work along West Second Street from South Walker
- Street to South Maple Street.
- This work is required to relocate utilities in advance of the Second Street modernization project. These
- closures are requested to occur in the timeframe between March 16th and May 31st of this year. I have
- an on-site meeting planned with Miller Pipeline to go over expectations, how to execute the closures,
- ensuring that they're not closing any paired sidewalks, anything like that.
- And we'll continue to work with them to work with Bloomington Transit and MCC SC To make sure that those
- closures aren't prohibitive to them to them rather and happy to take any questions I think yesterday
- in the work session. We had just talked a little bit about that cooperation with MCC SC and Bloomington
- Transit and given that the project is getting ready to start I mean fairly soon
- Have you received information that they have coordinated that or is someone here on their behalf to
- I believe we have Robin Cooper from Miller on the call Those coordinations I planned on having our meeting
- this week Shouldn't shouldn't be closing off any access or anything just a slight delay with the lane
- closure. Okay, I
- Also as we discussed yesterday the lane closure will happen in phases correct as it goes through the
- project. Okay. Questions from the public on this item. I'm sorry public comment on this item none on
- zoom. All right. Seeing none I will call actually their motion.
- I move that we approve the right-of-way closure requests for Centerpoint energy second Now I will call
- the roll and I promise I will get the hang of this at some point soon Cox-Duckard. I Roach I Caron I
- motion passes Next is the right-of-way closure request for FA Wilhelm at the Poplar's development
- Kyle ball engineering once again FA Willam is requesting sidewalk closure on North Grant Street as part
- of the Beverly project located at 400 East 7th Street This request is for facade work as well as final
- landscaping work This requested closure would take place March 18th through April 10th of this year
- Thank you questions from the board We just
- talked during the work session about the fact that this is likely the last item that we are going to
- receive as far as closures right of way closures. That was the last indication that we had from them.
- And I will say I think we spelled out kind of the plan for execution here is to finalize this western
- side and then the project completion would move from this sidewalk to the southern sidewalk on seventh
- and then the western sidewalk on done.
- I just want to clarify it's not there won't be more permanent applications But they have right away
- permanent applications that are currently valid Correct. Yeah, they're the end of use I believe was
- end of July if I'm not mistaken for this other phases All right other questions Public comment on this item
- Could you please state your name for the record? Hi, I'm Greg Alexander I think we got to look at the
- history of this because they're using the MOT that was used last June for a pair of sidewalk closures
- on done and on grant and the logic behind that MOT was that there is no way to put a walk around on
- done and done is a higher priority street because of the bus traffic there, but that's Those things
- aren't true about grant. We just decided to screw over grant too because we screwed over done Another
- consideration was that last
- June's proposal was affecting the summer, which was people like me and my kids walking in the street
- rather than undergraduates walking in the street. But this is happening in the middle of the semester,
- a very busy travel time, very busy visit time, family weekends. I'm telling you, every single time I
- was there and the Grant Street sidewalk was closed, which I go through there almost every day, I saw
- pedestrians in the street. It is a very well-used, there are going to be groups of drunk undergraduates,
- there are going to be groups of parents walking in the street on Grant.
- if you approve this closure. That's antithetical to our stated goals and the law in this instance. You're
- not allowed to close a sidewalk unless they have a walk-around that fully reproduces the desirable
- characteristics of the original path. The 7th Street sidewalk has been closed for much more than a year
- now. That's insane to close a sidewalk. That's our priority, transportation infrastructure, and it's
- just closed for more than a year as if it doesn't matter. So this is already a stressed environment
- for pedestrians.
- So this isn't summer, and this is a screw pedestrians detour, and I'm trying not to use bad words, but
- we have to be clear, it's very hard to do these things. Somebody's gonna have to give, the contractor's
- gonna have to give, the cars are gonna have to give, somebody's gonna have to give. Well, it's always
- easiest to pick the lowest priority person and make them give, so screw pedestrians. But you don't have
- the legal authority to screw pedestrians. Pedestrians are in law enshrined as the highest priority.
- And another piece of history you just need to be aware of is that the seven line was closed.
- That was a poor decision. There was a mistake by the part of this board. But because it was closed for,
- what, about eight months, you guys extended it for another two months. Once you establish this precedent,
- last summer you closed grant. You shouldn't have, but you did. Because you established this precedent,
- it goes on and on. And so they say, well, it's not a big deal because it's a short closure. But short
- closures become long closures. Bad closures become repeated closures. Thank you. Thank you. Any other
- public comment on this item?
- None on Zoom. All right. Is there a motion. I move we approve the right of way closure request for F.A.
- Wilhelm at Poplar's development. Second with a motion and a second I will call the roll. Cox Deckard
- aye. Roach aye. Caron aye. Motion passes.
- Next item is the right of way closure request from high Decker Wheat Lake Company for Fritz Terrace
- gas line modernization Hello Zach Bell engineering High Decker Wheat Lake Company is requesting an extension
- of an approved right away permit from 14 days to eight months the closures for this work will consist
- of single-lane closures with the southwest portion within the southwest portion of Fritz Terrace as
- part of the gas main modernization project and
- This request is to accommodate fifteen thousand thirty five linear feet of boring. The traffic control
- would be in place from March 9th through October 8th 2026. Hi Decker Wheat Lake Company has supplied
- maintenance of traffic plans for all work and they have placed door hangers in advance of all work.
- Bloomington High School North has also been notified. Thank you. Questions from the board on this item.
- Yesterday in the work session we had asked if MCC SC had been notified because it indicates Bloomington
- High School North but there are probably some other impacts for the other schools. Were you able to
- confirm that or is there someone on the line that can confirm that. I don't believe that anybody's on
- the line. If further communication with the school corporation is required I can get that from them.
- My standpoint was the main priority was just Bloomington North is right there. Most of this will be
- well all of this will be within Fritz Terrace. So only the local and the non arterial roads in here.
- So I actually don't really see any other effects directly affecting the schools aside from Bloomington.
- Yeah there'll be bus traffic or the other schools so it will be good just to make sure that transportation
- MCCSE transportation knows in case they need to you know adjust their timing or communicate that and
- that's something I can ask I can make that happen and just to reassure you this is one crew will be
- out here and it will only be single lane closure so very minimal handle
- We shouldn't see a traffic jam in front stairs, but if we do At least MCC SC will know right? Yeah Could
- you also repeat what we talked about at the work session? Which is the permit extension from 14 days?
- Sounds like a long time. So they they had submitted their Application and wanted to get started. So
- within my jurisdiction or within my abilities I can
- approved for up to 14 days on this street. So I went ahead and did that expecting that it would be passed.
- Thank you. Public comment on this item. None on zoom. All right. Is there a motion. I move that we approve
- the right of way closure request from Heidecker Wheat Lake Company for Fritz Harris gas line modernization. Second.
- I will call the roll Cox Decker. I roach. I Caron. I motion passes Next is the right-of-way closure
- request for Duke Energy Zach Bell again Duke Energy is requesting three weeks of lane and sidewalk closures
- on South Sarah Road This request is to accommodate boring of underground utilities Traffic control would
- be in place for three weeks with the dates dependent upon approval
- Duke has supplied maintenance of traffic plans for all work. They have also notified MCC and will modify
- their work schedule accordingly. Questions from the board.
- I think one thing we discussed yesterday was just the very nearby impacts of the school there with Jackson
- Creek and the fact that the crew was planning on adjusting their work times based on the traffic flow
- for the school. Yes and times they've been directed to start. I think it was eight thirty and then wrap
- up for pick up at two forty five I believe. So they have to be out of the road at that time.
- I think pick up is 3 15 there or somewhere around there but then they can they may come back but they
- have to be out of the road during those time frames for pick up and drop off. And the sidewalk will
- reopen each and those will also reopen when they're in outside of the modified work schedule.
- Any other questions from the board. All right. Public comment on this item. None on Zoom. All right.
- Is there a motion to move that we approve the right of way closure request for Duke Energy. Second.
- I will call the roll. Cox Deckard I Roach I Caron I motion passes. Next we move on to staff reports.
- Kyle's gonna start with one on this right-of-way request for Myron age them and then I'll follow up
- Yeah, kind of all from engineering again So yesterday afternoon we had a request from Myron age M who
- is responsible for the Arlington multifamily project Right there on Arlington just adjacent to the roundabout
- there 17th in Arlington and
- So they were doing some field work and realized that they did not have the adequate spacing from the
- infrastructure, the traffic circle infrastructure to facilitate a lane closure in this area. So their
- proposal was to have a closure during the spring break period. So starting March 14th this weekend and
- then concluding by March 22nd.
- So in talks with Mr. Wason, the director of engineering and our traffic engineer, we felt like this
- was a decent plan and would help minimize impacts. If they push this down the road, no pun intended,
- they would impact a larger volume of traffic as they push these dates out. I have been working with
- them as well as Bloomington Transit.
- Bloomington transits concern was access to tell you ride to the apartment complex back there We haven't
- had any indication that that was going to be limited in any capacity Local access will be maintained
- for those few private businesses on the west side of the street As well as the homes that are a little
- just north of the project there Can can you just clarify I was gonna make sure I'm understanding that's
- correct. So we're talking about like distance northbound
- Arlington and not enough distance to Scoop cars over is that what we're talking about? So there's a
- taper minimum distance as we required according to the Indiana MUT CD That distance is 60 feet. There's
- roughly 30 feet from the location of the manhole that they're going to be accessing So they're gonna
- be digging a trench there trench boxes that whole deal and it's
- too close of a proximity to, basically in that traffic circle, there's those pedestrian islands with
- the triangles. So that would be the limiting factor to create that distance that they would need for
- that. So you're telling me that scoot over is not a technical term? I use that term a lot, James,
- but I'm, yeah, scoot over is a term that everyone understands but does not show up in the MUTCD. The
- big issue here is they do need to,
- The trench box is ensuring is the real big issue here that's changed the elevations of the sewer lateral
- have caused some of this and so While we did not while we were always hopeful that we wouldn't need
- a full closure of Arlington for this When we reviewed all the factors this morning There's just no option
- to try to fit all of this in and so really trying to push them next week We may do did they respond
- about night work at all? Not yet
- We did ask him if it was possible for them to continue later into the evening and such and so we may
- do an Administrative level noise permit depending on if they're able to do a couple of extra nights
- of night work to try to really limit it to that spring break period But we're talking about a full closure
- and not just a northbound lane closure, right? It's a full closure And had this we would have normally
- wanted this to come through as a normal regular agenda item given the timing and and
- Knowing spring break is next week. We wanted to go go go to try to avoid any impacts of a full closure
- after spring break The residences and businesses that are directly impacted been specifically notified.
- I'll be sure that they are That's what we're working on right now. They're getting signed should be
- out today Awesome sign boards out everything in advance. Thank you. Yeah, and just for framing here
- I think the original request from this project was closure for the entire summer Last summer that didn't
- end up happening for a number of factors
- So we reduced that to the lane closure and we were happy with that plan until we realized the link which
- we didn't have quite enough room so They've been great working with us on this Flagging it as soon as
- they realized it and you know providing all the materials and doing the lake work that we would typically
- ask Perfect. Thank you Kyle. We'll keep you up to speed if anything changes on that just via email I've
- got a couple items for the board just to go over, you know, I do want to
- Just offer some comment about when these when a sidewalk closure comes to the board We have exhausted
- options for walk-arounds and such, you know, mr. Alexander's passionate about keeping all the pedestrian
- right away is open at all times I understand that the issue here, you know, there are sidewalk detours
- and if we ever have a closure We're gonna have a detour in place for a sidewalk. So while it's not ideal
- Trying we would the idea that
- Putting in full walk arounds or reducing traffic lanes in this area is going to create more of an issue
- than it is to try to detour those pedestrians for a short amount of time we get that, you know, he disagrees
- with us on that but Kyle and the team and engineering are always trying to find the best solutions.
- I can tell you we were not thrilled about the seven line issue and it being extended. We had lots of
- conversations. There are other requests from Wilhelm that are not coming to the board because we have
- told them no you've asked for too much at this point.
- There may be a request still come through for Sunday work if that does come through to the board It's
- not going to be supported by staff. So we are trying to keep their project within limited, you know
- within The scope of what we can control there. So just some points there on that one I did want to let
- you know the public and the board knows some additional work that's going to go on during spring break
- next week That's going to have a road closure undone we found out we found from a got word from our
- contractor that is doing the
- Bollard installation project in a few locations around Kirkwood that they are able they were able to
- get the materials in for the Dunn Street Installation and we thought let's go go go and so they're committed
- to being there Monday The closure may bleed into the following Monday after spring break, but much better
- than you know a couple three weeks so
- We're gonna be working with Cassie and everybody to get word out about that closure for Dunn. Good thing
- is everything's open down there, so traffic will still be able to circulate east and west when they
- do get to Kirkwood and Dunn. These ballers are going in between basically Kilroy's on Kirkwood and Jimmy
- John's for points of reference there.
- Otherwise, it's weather season in Indiana. So possible severe weather this evening with thunderstorms
- and then next Tuesday, they're talking like we could get some snow again. So Yeah, we're we're dealing
- with all the weather in Indiana Yeah, so Any questions from board happy to answer those? Thank you Next
- we go to approval of claims questions from the board on claims tonight
- All right. Public comment on claims none on zoom. All right. Is there a motion. I move that we approve
- the claims in the amount of two million four hundred eighty one thousand five hundred ninety two dollars
- and fifty cents. Second. I will call the roll. Cox Decker. I Roach I Caron. I motion passes and seeing
- that there is nothing else on the agenda I will call for adjournment.