I-DOT Recommending Bike Lanes for Main St. in B-N
By: Jacob Long, WMBD/WYZZ-TV
Updated: April 17, 2012
NORMAL - Drivers in the Twin Cities are used to having Main St. all to themselves, but they might have to start sharing the road.
I-DOT has released its recommendations from a 2010 feasibility study that looked into improving transportation on the corridor that stretches from north Normal to south Bloomington.
The recommendations in Normal include segments of landscaped medians between College Ave. and Interstate 39, widened sidewalks and narrowed driving lanes to include bike lanes between Raab Rd. and Division St.
City Manager Mark Peterson expressed support for the bike lanes Monday. He said, "The demand is there and we believe the demand continues to grow as both communities become more bicycle friendly, bicycle oriented as gas prices go up."
It's a plan that has bicyclists excited, too. Sarah Hoffee likes to ride on Main St. between Illinois State and Illinois Wesleyan, but says it can be dangerous.
"I know they're not supposed to be texting, but I've had to throw myself off the road once to avoid getting knocked over," she said.
Hoffee thinks the bike lanes could make things safer for everyone.
"I think it's great. I used to live in Chapel Hill, North Carolina and a lot of the big roads like Main Street had bike lanes along side and it made drivers more aware," she said.
The recommendations are not binding, so Normal is not required to implement them.
But Peterson said they will be used when future work is needed on the corridor.
"I don't look for things to be implemented right away. It'll be done over a period of years," he said.
At Monday's Normal Town Council meeting, members are only set to accept the study's findings.
Bloomington aldermen are expected to do the same for a different set of recommendations for the city.
They could include opening up some one-way roads to two-way traffic.
I-DOT has released its recommendations from a 2010 feasibility study that looked into improving transportation on the corridor that stretches from north Normal to south Bloomington.
The recommendations in Normal include segments of landscaped medians between College Ave. and Interstate 39, widened sidewalks and narrowed driving lanes to include bike lanes between Raab Rd. and Division St.
City Manager Mark Peterson expressed support for the bike lanes Monday. He said, "The demand is there and we believe the demand continues to grow as both communities become more bicycle friendly, bicycle oriented as gas prices go up."
It's a plan that has bicyclists excited, too. Sarah Hoffee likes to ride on Main St. between Illinois State and Illinois Wesleyan, but says it can be dangerous.
"I know they're not supposed to be texting, but I've had to throw myself off the road once to avoid getting knocked over," she said.
Hoffee thinks the bike lanes could make things safer for everyone.
"I think it's great. I used to live in Chapel Hill, North Carolina and a lot of the big roads like Main Street had bike lanes along side and it made drivers more aware," she said.
The recommendations are not binding, so Normal is not required to implement them.
But Peterson said they will be used when future work is needed on the corridor.
"I don't look for things to be implemented right away. It'll be done over a period of years," he said.
At Monday's Normal Town Council meeting, members are only set to accept the study's findings.
Bloomington aldermen are expected to do the same for a different set of recommendations for the city.
They could include opening up some one-way roads to two-way traffic.
