Living in Bloomington Indiana. I have always been so surprised by the beauty that this place has naturally. It is a beautiful place and one with surprises all around town. One of those surprises I have been personally fortunate to have experienced quite a few times is the B-Line Trail.

The B-Line is a 4-person wide trail that stretches 3.1 miles long. It begins in city limits and stretches its way farther out into the trees that surround Bloomington. On a day with nice weather it provides people and families with the opportunity to take advantage of the lovely scenery and get away from the stress of school of life. It is also a great way to get some exercise in a way that feels different and like an experience rather than just walking on a treadmill.

I took advantage of the B-Line the other day and was so happy to have gotten to experience the weather and beauty of the parks that stretched along the whole thing. I joined the trail right along seventh street and began my journey. Initially when you enter the trail there are some pretty wonderful works of art and interesting buildings that you pass along the way. Some of the infrastructure along the way appears to be starting to decay as time has gone on. Examples of this could be found in the sidewalks being unlevel at road crossings as well as a couple of bridges that are not the most maintained.  The initial mile of the trail was more of a city experience and honestly was a bit annoying. Having to stop and check for cars when crossing roads was a bit of a detraction to my biking experience and is one possible area for innovation.

 

Sights Along the Way

As my bike ride continued, I got to experience switchyard park. This park is one of the most beautiful areas that I have seen around Bloomington. The perfectly manicured hills that are surrounded with activities for people to partake in is exactly what a park should be. Space for an amphitheater, public restrooms, and water fountains, as well as basketball courts and other sporting options. The park is amazing. One place that I wish more people took advantage of and a place that I wish I had spent more of my time at.

However, as I continued along the trail, I noticed the neighborhoods that surrounded the switchyard park. The parks a beautiful piece of land that is well manicured and then the neighborhoods around them seem to be neglected and shut off from the park. I also noticed that there are a lot of camps that have been set up in the woods surrounding the park that appear to be shelters for some people. I also noticed that there were certain groups of people who were conspicuously missing from the trail. It appeared that the trail was predominantly utilized by young and able-bodied individuals, and I pondered about the measures that could be implemented to make the trail more inclusive and welcoming to all members of the community. This was something that I have never noticed while on this trail because while completing this assignment I really was looking for everything that I could see around me.

I noticed that the people that were on this trail all seemed happy. Which is something you might not see when just walking around campus or the city yet, on this trail it was all smiles. I came across families with young children, groups of teenagers playing basketball in the park, and seniors taking a leisurely stroll. The people were friendly and the main mode of transportation was walking. There were a few motorized bikes and even a Little 500 team training for the big race today.

I did not find the trail to be as connected as it appeared to want to be. Having fences that shut off neighborhoods from the park as well as bridges that might make the walk way too difficult for certain people. The city is connected well to the trail as you can follow almost all numbered streets right into the trail.

Smart Improvements

Overall the trail is a great place to enjoy the outdoors. It is a beautiful addition to the city and one that can provide an outlet to the everyday stresses of life. Although it could be connected to certain communities better it does a wonderful job of providing pathways to get from the city onto it. There are certain things that could be improved by smart technologies around the walkways though. I will give two ideas for how this could happen.

Smart Lighting

One of the most significant challenges faced by urban trail users is ensuring their safety, particularly during nighttime hours. One way to address this is by installing smart lighting along the trail. Smart lighting systems can adjust their brightness and color temperature based on the time of day, weather conditions, and pedestrian traffic. This can not only improve visibility for trail users but also help reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions.

In addition, smart lighting systems can be equipped with motion sensors that can detect the presence of trail users and adjust the lighting levels accordingly. This can help increase safety, particularly in areas where there is limited visibility. Furthermore, these sensors can be connected to a central network, enabling maintenance crews to identify areas that require maintenance or repair more quickly.

Smart Crosswalks

One thing that put me off from enjoying my bike ride completely was having to wait for cars at certain intersections. If there were a smart system that could alert walkers that a car was coming or even stop cars from being able to go through the intersection and allow pedestrians the right of way it would enhance the biking experience.

Motion sensors and cameras could be used to detect cars and pedestrians and even lights could be installed to get the attention of cars. The current solution is paint on the concrete and cones that say pedestrian crossing.

The Future

By integrating smart city technologies, cities can transform urban trails like the B-Line Trail into more sustainable, accessible, and enjoyable public spaces. Smart lighting and smart waste management are just two examples of how cities can enhance the trail’s functionality, safety, and sustainability while reducing its environmental impact. By investing in these technologies, cities can create more livable, equitable, and sustainable communities for all.