BLOOMINGTON — The Bloomington City Council has approved merging three separate commissions into a new Transportation Commission.
The new commission will replace the Bicycle Pedestrian Safety, Parking and Traffic commissions. Council voted 7-2 to approve the change, with council members Dave Rollo and Andy Ruff voting against.
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The new nine-person commission will oversee all transportation-related issues including infrastructure project proposals and recommend changes to the transportation sections of the city code.
Among the nine members of the commission, one must be a city council member, one must be appointed by the mayor, one appointed by the public transportation corporation board of directors, one appointed by the Plan Commission, one appointed by the Board of Public Works, two Bloomington residents appointed by council and two Bloomington residents appointed by the mayor.
Under the ordinance, the Transportation Commission will "provide recommendations and guidance to the Mayor and Council, and it will act as a steering committee for future transportation studies and grant programs."
It now heads to Mayor Kerry Thomson for approval.
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Currently, the Bicycle Pedestrian Safety Commission is in charge of developing safety programs and reporting and recommending solutions to the Mayor, Council and Public Works regarding pedestrian and bicyclist issues.
The Parking Commission is tasked with reviewing and recommending parking policy, including parking enforcement.
The Traffic Commission makes recommendations to the council and to appropriate city officials with solutions for improving traffic conditions and the administration and enforcement of traffic regulations, among other things.
The change has been in the works for months.
In November, Planning Services Manager Ryan Robling told council having three separate commissions with overlapping duties created a lack of coordinated decision-making, and difficulty for Bloomington residents to know which commission they should voice their concerns to.
