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Resident warns board Grant Street sidewalk closure will force pedestrians into traffic; board approves Poplar's closure
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Summary
During public comment at the March 10 Board of Public Works meeting, Greg Alexander urged the board not to approve a Grant Street sidewalk closure without a full walk-around that reproduces the original path's characteristics; the board approved FA Wilhelm's closure request for March 18—April 10 and staff said detours and signage will be used.
Greg Alexander, a Bloomington resident, told the Board of Public Works on March 10 that approving another sidewalk closure on Grant Street would force pedestrians, including parents and students, into the street and repeat prior mistakes. "You're not allowed to close a sidewalk unless they have, a walk around that fully reproduces the desirable characteristics of the original path," Alexander said, arguing that previous closures had left pedestrians walking on roadways.
The closure under consideration was requested by FA Wilhelm for façade work and final landscaping at the Poplar's (Beverly) development at 400 East Seventh Street. Staff described the request as a short temporary closure proposed for March 18–April 10 and said detours will be provided. Adam Wason, Public Works Director, said staff had exhausted options for walk-arounds in prior reviews and that detours would be used where necessary: "There are sidewalk detours in if we ever have a closure, we're gonna have a detour in place for a sidewalk."
Board members acknowledged Alexander's concerns and noted a history of extended closures on some corridors but said staff had denied other excessive requests from the developer previously. After discussion and public comment, a board member moved, seconded and the board approved the FA Wilhelm sidewalk closure by roll call. Staff said they will place signboards, notify affected residences and businesses, and manage the closure to minimize pedestrian impacts.
The public comment flagged legal and safety concerns about detours and precedent from prior extended closures; staff responses on record focused on operational mitigations (signs, detours, outreach) and the board proceeded with approval. The board did not specify additional conditions beyond staff commitments to outreach and signage.
