My Experiences on the B-Line Trail

My most recent experience on the B-Line Trail has not been my first. Whenever I have nothing to do, I typically find myself just hopping on my bike and ride along the trail. Just walking or biking on the trail is very therapeutic for me. I have nothing to do, just absorb all the sights and sounds. When I went on the trail this past Wednesday, I decided to join the trail on Kirkwood and walk south toward Switchyard Park.

Sights and Sounds on the Trail

On that particular day, it was nice and sunny. This naturally makes me very joyous as it reminds me of the beauty that life brings. The budding trees and flowers were especially nice as it was much-needed contrast to the leafless trees of the winter months. In addition to the nature scenes along the trail, I just love hearing people mingling. Whether it be people having casual conversations or kids laughing as they are playing their games, I just love everything about people enjoying themselves on the trail. Everything on that day on the trail brought me joy as I have been swamped with school and the anxiety caused by graduating.

Going south on the B-Line trail is a must as there are so many places to stop by and things to do. As you go past the Kroger on Rogers Street there is a segment of restaurants, bars, and coffee shops that people can pull aside to grab something real quick on the go. These places were filled with people so it was naturally welcoming. Shortly after, I entered the bustling Switchyard Park. It would be extremely difficult for someone to not find something to partake in inside the park. There are basketball and pickleball courts, a skate park, a communal area with tables and chairs, a dog park, and a playground for the kiddos. These spaces were also being used well as it seemed that each area was being occupied by people.

The best thing I personally enjoy about the trail is that every walk of life can be found using the trail. Whether it is students or local residents, you can probably find them enjoying the trail. Since the trail intersects across the busiest parts of Bloomington, it is a natural space for people to congregate at. While reflecting on the different people that I observed, I have been having a hard time thinking of different people that would be least likely to walk on the trail. As I previously mentioned, the trail seems to attract everybody from every community. The environment of the B-Line is very welcoming, so I feel that most people wouldn’t be detracted from taking part. The only people that wouldn’t really use it are those that wouldn’t enjoy walking outside. Even people with physical disabilities can use the trails. There are some bridges on the trail, but they have the option to use ramps underneath the bridge to get to the other side.

I observed that most of the people on the trail were pedestrians just walking on the trail. However, there were also people on bicycles as well. There were also a lot of e-scooters that were parked at the bicycle parking, but I didn’t observe anyone using them. Seeing people walk in a public space makes me feel very wholesome for some reason even though I see people walk all the time. I think it comes down to the fact that people are just enjoying themselves. They are enjoying their time and company without a care about anything else.

How Well Does the Trail Mesh with Bloomington?

I think the B-Line trail does an excellent job of connecting every facet of the Bloomington community. The trail intersects through pedestrian-centric parts of the city (i.e. downtown Bloomington) so it makes it the best spot for people to access the trail. Even then, on either side of the trail are points where people can drive and park their cars to hop on the trail. It naturally blends in the city as there are plenty of businesses that are planted alongside. For example, in the center, people can stop at Hopscotch Coffee or even get their groceries at Bloomingfoods Market. The B-line also serves as the main artery to other trails as well. If one so desires, one can enjoy the more secluded trails of the Bloomington Rail Trail and the Limestone Greenway. All of these things contribute to the overall vibe of the city tremendously as it is seamlessly engrained into the local community. The routing of the trail makes getting to different places in the city a breeze. If someone lives close to the trail it would actually be more convenient for them to walk or bike to get to a nearby restaurant or business than to drive there.

Instead of demolishing every building to give the area a new look. The planners decided to keep some of the buildings. For example, when I entered switchyard park, I immediately noticed an empty warehouse that has been converted into a local playspace that’s operated by a local organization. The city could have easily demolished it and converted the space into something else. But the warehouse adds more to the ambiance that is uniquely Bloomington, something that you can’t find anywhere else. With that being said, you can also notice new developments that I noticed that was opened alongside the construction of the trail. For example, some townhouses and businesses can be walked up to from the trail. The addition of these new buildings adds to the more communal feeling as it makes it feel like the trail is engraved into the city of Bloomington, not just another afterthought that was just added randomly.

Adding Smart City Implementation to the B-Line

With all the great things that the B-Line Trail has, there is more opportunity for the trail to implement Smart city strategies to make it more effective for its users. One thing that I noticed is that there isn’t much security on the trail. There is a police station near Switchyard Park as well as a police officer patrolling the trail, but it isn’t clarified when they are patrolled. On IU’s campus, there are stations where you can call for emergency response if you think you are in danger. By pressing the button, it sends a ping to the local police and they will respond to that general location for assistance. If somebody keeps on walking, they can press the buttons of consecutive stations to create a route of where they are going. Currently, there is nothing of the sort on the B-Line Trail, and I feel like this addition would increase safety. The trail is mainly occupied during the day, but at night, I feel that most people are afraid to use it as they might feel unsafe during dark hours.

I think it would be a good idea to create an application that people can interact with to find out about new events that will occur on the B-Line Trail and the accompanying parks that are connected to it. It can also be a place where like-minded people with similar interests can meet up and do different activities. I think this can be a powerful application that can further bring the Bloomington community together. With mobile communication being a vital part of our society, people are always meeting new people online. This application would not only allow for new relationships to form, but it would also foster a community where nobody is a stranger.

 

All images were taken by me