By Young Na
My Visit to B-Line and Switchyard Park
On Saturday morning, I visited the B-line trail with my good friends. First, we began our little journey from the farmer’s market near the 7th and Morton with a bag of kettle corn I purchased. Then we slowly walked southbound. The entire walk was about a little more than 2 miles, and the elevation change was about 70 feet, so it was a very comfortable walk along the way (Starting elevation: 771 ft, End elevation: 699 ft).
As we walked the B-line trail, we first noticed the free bike pump, which will be very handy for all weekend cyclists. One thing to note is that the B-line trail is a perfect trail for a short walk or a jug and a popular place to bike, so the free air pump and tools along the trail were a nice touch. Be aware that the B-line trail passes through the city road with traffic, so always remember to be cautious when crossing a crow walk. We noticed that the trail also has many street lights to light the path at night.
After walking for a mile, we made a first stop at Hopscotch Coffee Shop, which is known for its great Thai iced coffee (very sweet coffee with double caffeine). If you are into spirits and some finger foods, Cardinal Spirits is right across the street from the Hopscotch Coffee Shop for a little detour. With a cup of iced coffee in our hands, we started our journey again. The next stop was Switchyard Park.
Once you cross the big bridge on Patterson Dr and Morton St, you enter the biggest park in Bloomington, Switchyard Park. Things that we noticed when we entered the park were many different types of courts and areas for sports activities such as basketball, pickleball, or skateboarding available, as well as s security cart driving around to ensure the visitors’ safety. Within the park, there were many seatings, tables, fun features such as a water fountain, and a large playground for children to enjoy. I had to revisit the park at night so I could try out some of the playground equipment without getting judged by kids. Trust me, if you see the playground in Switchyard Park, you will do the same too. If you are a dog owner, I believe that Switchyard Park along the B-line trail is the best dog park in the city to visit. Here, you can have your dog freely run around within the fence, but honestly, the area within the fence looked a lot bigger than what non-dog owner visitors have access to, so good for you, our fluffy friends! The park making two separate areas for dogs based on their weight was another great approach. As we passed the dog park, we decided to turn around and go back.
People on B-Line and Switchyard Park
There were many people along the way that we encountered.
- Casual Pedestraints like us
- Joggers
- Dog Owners
- Cyclists
- Electric Scooters and Boards
Overall demographics of the people on the trail were very diverse. You would see a group of families with toddlers to elders of different ethnicities, which makes the trail and park very welcoming for anyone in the city or the visitors. One thing to note is that since the trail and the park is public space, you will encounter homeless people. There were a couple of homeless campsites along the B-lie trail.
Types of Transportation Used
There were many cyclists when we visited the trail and occasional electric scooter riders and skateboarders. Since there are many parking sites along the trail, we noticed that many people also park their cars, then enjoy taking a short walk with their friends and family. With the different types of transportation used on the trail, there are different speed movements on one trail. Due to not having a bike lane, cyclists and pedestrians use the same trail, which sometimes can cause an accident if both parties are not paying attention.
Connectivity
The north side of the trail is very well connected to surrounding neighborhoods and cities where many access points exist. However, as you walk towards the south side of the trial, many access points become only available via vehicle. This could be due to the south side of the trail passing through Switchyard Park. We noticed that many access points to and from the surrounding neighborhoods on the south side of the trail were blocked by a fence.
Different Land Uses
Starting from the North side of the trail, the land surrounding the trials is used for commercial areas. Along the way, you would see retail stores, hotels, coffee shops, and a grocery store. As you walk towards the south, the land use slowly changes to residential neighborhoods. Lastly, the south side of the trail becomes green spaces with Switchyard Park. With the different land use, each section of the trail serves a different purpose. The north side of the trial is mainly used for casual commercial store experience, while the south part of the trial is used for park experience with different types of activities available along the way.
Smart City Strategies
Trolley Service
Overall, the B-Line has many beautiful experiences to offer. The problem is that the two most distinctive attractive sites are very distanced from each other. Walking to the other side of the trail is doable, but returning is always challenging. Therefore, visitors will benefit from having a mode of public transportation on the trail, such as a trolley service.
Active Surveillance System for Vandalism
The B-line trail is known to have a clean aesthetic. However, from my experience walking on the trail, I noticed that some graffiti was very inappropriate, especially for the trail many children use. Switchyard Park does have many security cameras installed with the street lights along the park pathway, but I have not seen any surveillance system to monitor any vandalism on the rest of the trail. Therefore, a monitoring system will increase the overall experience using the trail.
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