Bloomington, IN Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Obstruction Rules (2026)

110, in the Use of the Right-of-Way chapter, requires that whenever a sidewalk must be obstructed or blocked for a period or periods totaling twenty-four hours or more, the party holding the right-of-way use permit must provide a walkaround for the affected area. The city engineer or designees can require a walkaround for shorter blockages too, to keep access open in high-use pedestrian areas or other contexts. Where possible the walkaround must parallel the disrupted pedestrian route on the same side of the street, be at least five feet wide, be protected by continuous concrete or water-filled barricades with impact attenuators at each end facing oncoming traffic, and comply with the federal Public Rights-of-Way Accessibility Guidelines (PROWAG).

Within the downtown overlay, the code calls for an eight-foot-wide walkaround where feasible. The section also folds in the Indiana Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, including advance warning signs, and OSHA guidelines. The city engineer can add further conditions such as barricades on both sides, five-foot railings, night lighting, overhead protection, rumble strips, changeable message signs or warning lights, and may substitute a pedestrian detour if IMUTCD or OSHA rules call for one. In reviewing a proposed walkaround or detour, the city engineer must weigh the city's comprehensive and transportation plans, which give pedestrians the highest modal priority in construction tradeoffs, ahead of bicyclists, transit users and single-occupancy vehicle drivers.