Mayor's Corner: Hamilton addresses 7th Street and fire department ISO rating

Some people have questioned the design and purpose of the bike lane on Seventh Street, including criticisms about emergency vehicle access, the bike lane being unused and blocked off, and the lack of signage or street markings making it hard for drivers to navigate. What do you want citizens to know about the project, its purpose, and the timeline for any remaining work?

We are excited about the 7-Line! It’s one of seven Bicentennial Bond projects that I proposed and the city council funded in 2018 as a gift to our future. Building on the hugely popular B-Line model, the 7-Line will make traveling between the east and west sides of Bloomington easier and safer for more people who aren’t driving a car. This multimodal east-west corridor connecting city and IU campus will encourage and support walkers, bikers and bus-riders — and scooters and electric skateboards and more. All helping improve our sustainability. The 0.72-mile stretch of East Seventh Street at the center of our city provides a protected bicycle lane, improved bus stops and accessible pedestrian features while improving comfort, safety, and efficiency for all road users. The 7-Line bridges the city’s bike network by offering connections to the B-Line on the west and to extensions with neighborhood greenways toward the east past the bypass and ultimately to 446.  

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After just five months of construction, the first section of the 7-Line is almost ready for all users. The project east of Morton Street should be complete by the end of this month, with the block from Morton to the B-Line soon after. Recently installed stop signs and electric signboards direct traffic approaching on the intersecting streets to stop because traffic along the 7-Line will be opened up with fewer stops to make travel easier. Let’s all be especially careful in coming months as folks adjust to new lanes and traffic patterns. Access for emergency vehicles along or approaching Seventh Street is unimpeded by the improvements. More information at https://bloomington.in.gov/engineering/projects/7th. Stay tuned for the ribbon-cutting announcement for this exciting improvement to our city!

The city's fire department recently celebrated achieving a one on its Insurance Services Office (ISO) rating. How does this rating benefit residents of Bloomington and what does the city plan to do to ensure the fire department maintains its ability to protect the community?  

Bloomingtonians should be pleased and proud to live in the first city in Indiana to receive a 1/1x rating from the Insurance Services Office. Rapid response times, excellent fire equipment/technology, a great water system with above-adequate pressure and volume, and our state-of-the-art dispatch center all contribute to Bloomington’s top ISO ranking — something only 1 out of every 200 departments in the country achieves. 

The outstanding rating reflects the city’s excellent record of providing protection from fire, the most fundamental measure of which is zero fire-caused fatalities within the city limits in four years. It also reflects our firefighters’ excellent training — far exceeding state and national requirements — which has resulted in nine saves of life since 2016.  The Bloomington Fire Department has improved its rating twice since 2016, as the BFD, City of Bloomington Utilities and Central Dispatch all collaborated on enhancements including improved equipment, training, and adherence to National Fire Protection Association standards.  

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The top rating assures us we are receiving top-flight service in case of fire. And also potential reductions in homeowners and commercial property insurance costs. The BFD’s dedication to prevention programs, inspections and education has produced a 25% reduction in calls for service over the past four years as compared to the previous decade.  

Strong leadership and dedicated personnel joined with capital improvements made possible through the Public Safety Local Income Tax passed in 2016 have been critical to Bloomington’s attainment of a 1/1x ISO score. Thanks go to the local income tax council for their approval of this essential measure and to community taxpayers for their contributions, which have resulted in this highly effective basic public service. Most of all, thanks to our public safety personnel, who protect us all so well 24/7.

Mayor's Corner is a monthly feature in which Bloomington Mayor John Hamilton answers questions about the city. If you have a question for the mayor, email your question jbond@heraldt.com.