BLOOMINGTON — College Avenue and Walnut Street run north and south directly through the heart of Bloomington. The twin three-lane, one-way streets could become two-way streets in the future, but not before the city hears from its residents.
The City of Bloomington is hosting two town halls concerning possible improvements to College and Walnut on Oct. 28 and Oct. 30. Both town halls are scheduled for 5:30 p.m. inside Bloomington City Hall.
The city has studied how to improve the two streets between State Road 45/46 and Allen Street since 2023.
“This is about making sure the final product reflects the needs and interests of our community," said Bloomington Transportation Planning Manager Ryan Robling. “When we consider projects with the potential to transform our city’s built environment on such a large scale, it’s critical that we communicate consistently, listen actively and engage thoughtfully with the public.”
WRTV went to the area around the former Monroe County Courthouse and asked residents on the street about the possibility of the two-way conversions.
People who spoke to WRTV were overwhelmingly against altering College and Walnut for both directions of traffic.
"Changing that pattern will lead to mayhem in my opinion," said Fred Schultz, a local attorney who has lived in Bloomington for more than 30 years. "People are used to and have adjusted to the simple fact that one is one-way north and the other is one-way south."
"We don't mind having it all one-way at all," said Carol NeuFrauman, who lives in Indianapolis but often visits Bloomington with her husband. "I would hate to see that. I think we would lose a little bit of the personality of the square if we go two-way."
Schultz said he is opposed to any major changes on College and Walnut because of a past Bloomington infrastructure project.
"On 7th Street, they took those stop signs away and made it kind of a thoroughfare, but the stop signs they took out, they put back in," Schultz said. "I know it was done with the best intent. Everybody's trying to make things better, not worse, but it became extremely confusing."
NeuFrauman believes the current setup has helped her find new local shops in and around the former courthouse.
"We don't mind it, because to get somewhere we have to drive all around the square, but that means we get to see more businesses," NeuFrauman said.
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Taj Simmons is the In Your Community reporter for Monroe and Morgan counties. He is a multimedia journalist who joined WRTV in August 2023. The Oakland, CA native is not a Hoosier by birth, but is excited to learn all about the area and tell the stories of the people who make this state feel like home. Share your story ideas and important issues with Taj by emailing him at taj.simmons@wrtv.com.
