Bloomington Officials Proposed Two-Way Traffic Restoration
Planning staff recommended converting College Avenue and Walnut Street to handle two-way traffic for the city Transportation Plan.
Updated on Oct. 14, 2026 in Remote Work
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Bloomington planning staff have recommended a two-way restoration of College Avenue and Walnut Street as part of a new transportation corridor plan. The proposal aims to update the current one-way configuration to better align with current travel patterns.
Why it matters
The city identified that the existing roadway design no longer meets local needs following decades of population and student enrollment growth. Adopting this corridor plan establishes a formal framework required for the city to pursue state and federal grants for infrastructure safety upgrades.
The proposed 4.2-mile study area covers the corridor from the State Road 45/46 Bypass to Allen Street. Officials recorded 37 total fatal and serious-injury crashes within these project limits between 2018 and 2022.
The players
Bloomington Transportation Commission
This local agency is responsible for reviewing and recommending updates to the city transportation network.
IU Bloomington
This major public university has seen enrollment grow significantly, reaching 48,626 students in fall 2025.
The details
The plan includes continuous pedestrian facilities, an urban trail, and intersection safety upgrades to address speed concerns identified at 11 of 14 monitored locations. These improvements are designed to replace a system that city officials believe no longer reflects the growth seen in Bloomington since 1970.
Timeline
1970 marked the baseline year for city population and student enrollment figures.
1998 saw the closure of an RCA television plant that eliminated 1,100 jobs.
2016 was the year a General Electric refrigerator plant closed.
2018-2022 served as the study period for documenting fatal and serious-injury crashes.
November 16, 2026, is the scheduled date for the Transportation Commission public hearing.
Market Landscape
This proposal marks a strategic pivot away from the one-way traffic designs that once supported older industrial manufacturing hubs. It aligns with broader urban planning trends that prioritize pedestrian accessibility and multi-modal transit over historical industrial throughput.
Drivers and residents can expect potential long-term changes to traffic flow and commute patterns across the 4.2-mile corridor if the city secures funding. The project's implementation would introduce new pedestrian facilities and urban trails, potentially altering daily transit accessibility for the public.
The takeaway
City planners are shifting focus toward safer, pedestrian-friendly corridors as historical traffic patterns evolve alongside city growth. Residents should follow upcoming public hearings to learn how these changes could influence local access and safety.
What happens next
The proposal will undergo a review by the Transportation Commission on November 16, 2026, before proceeding to the Plan Commission and City Council for further consideration.
Further reading
For more information on infrastructure planning and transit, visit the Remote Work section.
More information
Review the full project details on the city transportation corridor plan page.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Bloomingtonian - Jeremy Hogan.
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