My Experience & Places Stopped

First of all, I have to say that the B-trail is a remarkable experience. I haven’t visited many places in Bloomington because I only moved here for my graduate studies a year and a half ago. However, if I had to recommend a place for new arrivals to explore, I would certainly start with the B-trail because it communicates an aspect of how lovely Bloomington, Indiana really is! At times, I find that nature is my closest confidant, I love going for walks and the tranquility they give me. I was actually not sure what or where the B-Line was at first, but once I learned its accurate location, I thought this was an opportunity to go and find some serenity and get some much-needed exercise after so many days of being occupied with my course project workload from the past few weeks. As I began to walk on the Bridge in West 3rd street near Downtown transit, I planned to reach the Bridge on West Grimes Lane near the Indiana University campus bus shed, my initial plan was to stop and take a number of pictures because that’s one of my hobbies and because, even if I overlook any specifics, looking at the photos can help me recall what I experienced there. I headed to the trail around 2:30 PM, possibly it was a busy time for everyone since there weren’t many people over there. Fortunately, it wasn’t a busy day or time for me, so I got to enjoy the time I spent there. 

As I mentioned earlier, it was wonderful taking some pictures and having spent some time there, so my first stop was at the beginning of the bridge. Then I have to halt for a few minutes to let vehicles pass as the roads dividing the B-Line do not include any stop signs. I wasn’t planning on stopping at any location; I just walked along the trail, taking pictures of notable landmarks like Kroger and residential neighborhoods because the houses looked lovely.

I halted at a bench to rest and go over the photos because I wasn’t prepared for the weather that day and didn’t have my umbrella with me, so I desired to finish my walk quickly. If I recall correctly, I saw a parking lot next to the road that the trial is connected to when I stopped at Hopscotch Coffee Cafe. Surprisingly, I did not observe any pedestrian signs there, even though the number of vehicles is minimal but people passing through as I noticed during my walk that day several people walked along that road.  I didn’t come across any pedestrian indications until the very end of my approximately mile-long walk!

People Along the B-Line

I saw people of all ages, including kids who were playing and getting around, people of my age jogging or cycling, and older people who were out for a walk in the lovely and cool weather. While walking, I came across some lovely infrastructures including benches and play areas for kids and adults for leisure and activity, but most importantly, I loved the lights that lined the trail because I found them to be rather appealing.

Along the way, I stopped by a cafe and argued over the decision to buy a coffee for a while before deciding against it and continuing to walk the trail. When getting back I had a chance to speak with a woman who was getting to another part of the vicinity. When asked about the trail, she said, “It was entertaining but sometimes it could be scary too as homeless people stroll along the same trail and a couple of them would startle me a bit.”

Transportation & Connectivity

During the time, I encountered a number of modes of transportation. Many of them were walking, perhaps to take advantage of the cool weather, while others were cycling while others appeared to be preparing for a race based on their attire. While enjoying the weather and listening to music, some people were skateboarding and using rollerblades. Overall, it wasn’t any different from a regular road; instead of pedestrian crossings at busy intersections, the B-Line serves as a mode of transportation or a pathway for everyone and everything, with the exception of larger vehicles, which are similar to the pedestrian crossings mentioned above but are only present in certain locations.

I would essentially define Bloomington as having “pedestrian crossings alongside roadways for vehicles” throughout, but not the other way around. Since I’ve been here and have been exploring the city, I’ve come to believe that the aforementioned statement is accurate from the standpoint of many, as I have observed many giving pedestrians importance or first priority and have come across many pedestrian crossings, even in between minimal connecting intersections. The best example of this would be B-Line, which prioritizes pedestrians while also connecting the trail to numerous locations throughout the neighborhood, including Kroger, various parks, parking lots, cafes, recreational areas, and many others.

Land Uses

I came across a variety of land uses along the trail, including residential neighborhoods, commercial centers, and green areas. It was amazing how these various uses were seamlessly incorporated into the neighborhood’s overall character and vibe.

Smart City Strategies

Smart Solar Benches

There are times when you need a place to sit, charge your phone, relax, and enjoy the beauty of nature while doing so. There is a surprising feature of smart solar benches: when data is exhausted or the battery is low, we can use this bench to connect to the internet or share its hotspot. In addition, it can track environmental data such as noise levels, air quality, and temperature. Some third-party services have set up a website that tracks how many people have used the bench to charge their devices, how many people use it on average each day, and how many hours of solar charging it has provided. The best example of such a smart solar bench would be EngoPlanet, which has already placed some of its smart solar benches in a number of cities, including Boston and Houston, Texas. 

Smart Vending Machines

Smart vending machines have various components to make their everyday operations easier, such as sensors for controlling stock levels, temperature, and humidity, digital screens for advertising, and a terminal for contactless payments. Single Board Computers (SBCs)-based smart vending machines can be remotely monitored, enabling notifications and alerts about the system’s current state that can be used to anticipate unexpected breakdowns or faults. Additionally, the SBCs act as access points to the service centers, enabling them to keep track of the stock levels inside vending machines and make decisions about when to restock them. Smart vending machines and smart solar benches could work hand in hand because we would all need a snack while taking a casual walk like we all did, when we get tired while cycling, and other times when just relaxing on the bench. 

 

REFERNCES :

Smart solar bench by engoplanet. engoplanet. (n.d.). Retrieved April 21, 2023, from https://www.engoplanet.com/smartbench-smart-solar-benches

Smart Vending & Automated Retail. Silkron. (n.d.). Retrieved April 21, 2023, from https://www.silkron.com/smart-vending#omni-channel-retail-experience