The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) held an open house type event regarding planned improvements for Illinois Route 9 in Bloomington on Wednesday at Bloomington Junior High. The purpose of the event was to allow the public to review proposed improvements from the intersection of W. Market St. and Martin Luther King Jr Dr. east to the intersection of E. Empire Dr. and Carnahan Dr.
Project displays were available for viewing. IDOT representatives were there to explain the project, answer individual questions and record comments offered by those in attendance. The project is expected to be constructed in sections over a number of years.
Cities 92.9 asked Brian Hogan the Project Support Engineer to describe the project and he responded this way, ” We are resurfacing and reconstructing about seven and a half miles of pavements on Illinois Route 9 through Bloomington. The project starts at Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. on the west side of town and goes all the way over to Carnahan Dr. on the east side of town.”
IDOT has identified the need for extensive roadway improvements along Route 9 and has included funding for the improvements in its Proposed Highway Improvement Program.
The anticipated work generally consists of paving, constructing new curbs, upgrading sidewalk curb ramps to current ADA standards, modernizing traffic signal equipment, adding pedestrian improvements and accommodating bicycles where feasible.
Route 9 is a state route, and, while the state requests consent from the City of Bloomington, it is not necessary for the project to proceed. The City held a Public Open House on July 11, 2019, to gain feedback on the proposal in advance of providing a City response to IDOT.
The project is split up into several sections. Different sections will be paved in different years.
The first section to be reconstructed will be U. S. 150/Illinois 9 (W. Market St.) from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. to N. Hinshaw Ave. For the most part the roadway in this section will stay as it is.
The exception is the intersection at White Oak Road. Because the railroad track that crosses the west leg of Route 9 at this intersection is too close to White Oak for the installation of railroad crossing gates White Oak will be relocated to the east. This will allow room for the installation of railroad crossing gates across Route 9.
Current plans call for installing a median barrier on Route 9 to allow some of the gate equipment to be installed in the median. Unfortunately this will restrict turns at this location.
Motorists will be able to make right turns onto and off of White Oak but no left turns will be possible onto White Oak or off of it.
To describe it another way westbound traffic on Route 9 will be able to turn right onto White Oak and southbound traffic on White Oak will be able to make a right turn onto Route 9. But eastbound traffic on Route 9 will not be able to turn left onto White Oak and southbound traffic on White Oak will not be able to turn left onto Route 9.
Another major change will occur on U. S. 150/Route 9 (W. Locust St.) from Lee St. to U. S. 51 (Main St.). Route 9 (Locust St.) will be returned to two way traffic in that section. This will allow state highway traffic to be taken off of Lee St.
Westbound traffic on U. S. 150/Route 9 (Empire Dr.) will be directed by route signage to turn left at U. S. 51 (Center St.). Southbound Route 9 (Center St.) traffic will be directed to turn right at Route 9 (Locust St.) to continue on Route 9.
Bike lanes will be added on Route 9 (Both Empire Dr. and Locust St.) basically between U S. 51 (Main St.) and Towanda Rd. along the right curb in the direction traffic is moving and no parking will be allowed. Parking will be allowed along the left curb in the direction of traffic where it is currently allowed.
A new multi purpose trail will be built along the north side of Route 9 (Empire Dr.) from Towanda Ave. to Carnahan Dr.
No improvements at U.S. Business 55 (Veterans Dr.) are included in this project. The five intersections that serve all the movements between Route 9 and Veterans are part of a second project. To date a feasibility study has been conducted but no construction is scheduled.
A dual right turn lane will be constructed for northbound traffic on N. Hershey Rd. at Route 9 (Empire Dr.)
Anyone with questions may contact Brian Hogan of IDOT at (217) 206-0307.