Pam Reece

After more than eight years of trying, the Town of Normal may be able to move ahead with the Trail East and West developments on Uptown Circle. And if council members balk at a price increase for the Uptown Underpass, the town could have to repay millions in grant funding.

The Town of Normal has collected more storm debris in less than a week than all the waste it hauled away in March.

There are still a lot of details to work through with a prospective contractor on the Uptown Normal underpass project for another revised bid, and with state, federal, and railroad partners. City Manager Pam Reece has more to say in a WGLT interview.

The union representing firefighters in the Town of Normal is giving up its request to add a fourth fire station. And the town is considering new traffic signal preemption technology that could cut 15-20 seconds off the average drive time to emergencies.

Last year, many Bloomington-Normal residents saw their electric bills jump 40% in some cases, even after the municipalities teamed together with other Illinois governments. And there are signs the summer could produce some volatile electric rates again.

A $1.9 million federal grant announced by U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin will fund engineering and construction of the new stretch of trail that will extend the current endpoint at Gregory Street and Parkside to the west and south.

Town of Normal staff are signaling a potential need for significant rate increases in several programs including water and sewer, recycling, landscape waste and trash pickups. City Manager Pam Reece said a need for new sewage lift stations and cost recovery for hauling will require a council policy discussion.

The various projects, including public infrastructure, water, sewer and parks, total $188 million of planned capital spending.

2025 was a good year for Normal, according to City Manager Pam Reece, noting town achievements include a range of infrastructure projects, opening a refurbished skate park at Fairview Park, and advancing the town's public arts plan.

The senior member of the Normal Town Council says there's something missing in debate over closing the College Avenue fire station when a new east side station opens in a couple months.