Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Snow Recovery And Pedestrian Access topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Public Works reports on snow cleanup, Kirkwood celebration and pilot sidewalk-removal program
Summary
Public Works Director Adam Wason updated the board on snow-removal operations after a major storm, praised crews and partners for managing Kirkwood championship celebrations with no major injuries, and outlined a 2026 pilot to clear monolithic sidewalks and prioritized pedestrian ramps.
Adam Wason, Bloomington's public works director, briefed the Board of Public Works on Jan. 27 about ongoing snow-control operations, the Kirkwood championship-night cleanup and sanitation service resumption.
Wason said crews prepared ahead of a heavy storm and that, while the snowfall was not definitively "historic," more than a foot fell in about 24 hours and recovery would take weeks. "When I came into the city limits yesterday and saw the condition of the roads ... I was just completely impressed," he said, praising crews, public safety partners and volunteers.
On the post-game celebration on Kirkwood, Wason credited Bloomington Police Department and Fire Department coordination and said, "the reports the next day that there was no serious injury, no major vandalism, is a credit to all of those revelers." He noted minor damage including "we lost a street tree or 2" and that crews extinguished a couch fire.
Wason outlined a 2026 pilot funded in part by new budget items to clear snow from high-priority pedestrian corridors where sidewalks are monolithic (no tree plots) and snow accumulates from plows. He said the pilot will focus on corridors like South Walnut Street (Winslow to 1st/2nd) and high-traffic areas near College Mall and overpasses that connect to employment centers.
Sanitation services, delayed by two days, are scheduled to resume; Wason urged residents to make carts accessible, particularly in deep drifts, and noted that crews may be pulled from routes if wind chills reach extreme levels for safety.
Wason concluded that pedestrian mobility will be a challenge for weeks and said the city will continue coordinated efforts with contractors and property owners to clear ADA ramps and crosswalks.
