The public has had a fair amount to say about how to improve Veterans Parkway in Bloomington-Normal, with more to come.
The McLean County Regional Planning Commission is still seeking participants for an online road improvement survey that will remain open until Feb. 27.
Commission transportation planner Jennifer Sicks said so far area residents have submitted a variety of ideas.
“It runs the gamut from — don't touch it, it's perfect the way it is to — here are the 97 things we'd like to add,” she said.
Some suggested bike accommodations and creating safe ways for pedestrians to cross the parkway. One responder even mused about a trolly line down the middle. Sicks said something like that is unlikely to get approval.
“As much as it would be nice to have universally accessible transportation for absolutely everyone everywhere, we can't afford it,” she said.
Over the past decade, the thoroughfare has had a high rate of accidents and fatalities in some locations. The commission hopes the study will generate ways to reduce those incidents.
Planners said they would like to have the project finished sometime in 2026. The road belongs to the state. Any redesign and reconstruction must flow through the Illinois Department of Transportation.
