Page last updated on November 4, 2025 at 1:21 pm
Parks and Recreation Project Updates
Last updated November 4, 2025.
An overview of projects happening at parks, trails, and facilities.
Rail Trail Rogers Street Crossing
Plans call to improve safety and accessibility for pedestrians and cyclists at the Rogers Street crossing of the gravel-surface Bloomington Rail Trail. The Rail Trail is scheduled to be closed on or after Oct. 20, 2025 and will be closed for at least 30 days during construction. There is no detour around the closure area.
Scope of work includes:
- the installation of a pedestrian-activated Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon (RRFB)
- a new streetlight for increased visibility
- 12-foot-wide paved trail sections on both sides of the road
- realigning the trail to create a 90-degree crossing at Rogers Street
The project also involves vegetation removal, site grading, stormwater inlet installation, and final site restoration to ensure long-term functionality and integration with the surrounding landscape existing along the Bloomington Rail Trail
B-Line Trail Connection Project
This project will connect the existing B-Line Trail terminus at Adams Street with the multiuse path on the 17th Street I-69 overpass.
Bryan Park Tot Playground Surfacing Repair
The Board of Park Commissioners at their Sept. 25, 2025 meeting approved a contract for $37,100 with Adventurous Play, LLC to remove the existing, 17-year-old rubber tiles in the "tot lot" playground for 2- to 5-year-olds. The tiles will be replaced with a rubber buffing subsurface and rubber cap.
Work is now scheduled to take place the week of Oct. 13, 2025. The playground will be closed during the surface replacement, which will take four or more days; the playground will be closed until at least 12 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 18.
Asphalt Repair and Improvements
The Board of Park Commissioners at their Aug. 28, 2025 meeting approved a contract for $165,750 with Reed & Sons for asphalt repairs and improvements across multiple park properties, including services necessary for site preparation, milling and overlay, full-depth replacement, crack repair, root pruning, and site restoration. The scope includes:
- Repairs to the asphalt perimeter trail at Miller-Showers Park, scheduled to take place the first week of October, weather permitting - completed.
- Paving the entry drive at the Griffy Lake Nature Preserve boathouse, scheduled for Nov. 5 and 6. The entrance to the parking lot will be closed both days until 6 p.m. until the work is completed. Hiking trails and shoreline fishing remain open; hikers can access the Griffy Lake trails via the IU Research and Teaching Preserve on the south side of Griffy Lake, off Headley Road or at the Griffy Lake dam parking lot off Dunn Street. The boat launch will not be available during daytime hours while asphalt work is taking place; since boat launching is permitted only at the boat launch, fishing is limited to shoreline fishing only during daytime hours.
- Milling and re-asphalt the basketball courts, and repairing cracks on the tennis and pickleball courts, at RCA Community Park - completed
- Creating an asphalt pedestrian path from West Third Street to the existing drive inside Rose Hill Cemetery - completed
Powerline Trail
Parks and Recreation is continuing to develop plans to satisfy requirement for riparian plantings and erosion control in the planned .9-mile Powerline Trail between South Rogers Street at the entrance to Switchyard Park west to Weimer Road.
Banneker Community Center Limestone Step Repairs
The Board of Park Commissioners at their Sept. 25, 2025 meeting approved a contract for $68,915 with LRT Restoration Technologies to replace the historic limestone steps to the front entrance of the Banneker Community Center. Banneker received a $30,000 Historic Preservation Fund grant from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology to help replace the steps at this historically significant building. The front entrance (off West 7th Street) will be closed during repairs; an alternate, wheelchair accessible entrance with power doors is available on the west side of the building on North Elm Street. Work is scheduled to begin the week of Nov. 10, 2025.