BLOOMINGTON Rails-to-trails often follow the tracks which came before the path, but Bloomington has made a big switch to its Rail Trail for safety reasons. The Bloomington Rail Trail now approaches South Rogers Street at a righ t angle instead of following the former train right-of-way. The city also installed a flashing warning light to help trail users cross the road.Bloomingtonians experienced the new crossing on Christmas Eve, where temperatures in Monroe County approached 60 degrees with dry conditions. Bet Savage and Martha Dogan walked their dogs on the Rail Trail and are pleased with the progress the city's parks department has made with it."They're making it easier and safer all of the time with the crosswalks," Dogan said. "You always have to be careful because you don't know if they're going to stop or not. Even now, you have to be careful." Savage said the new configuration could stop dangerous behavior she has seen on the trail."One time a few months ago, I was walking this way and three young teenagers came up behind me on bikes,'" Savage said. "One of the kids said to the other ones, 'I dare you to cross Rogers Street without looking.' Two of the kids did it, and the third one did wheelies.''" Bloomington spent more than $200,000 on the new Rogers Street crossing, which took two months to rebuild. The city will add a new streetlight over the intersection in early 2026.Taj Simmons the In Your Community reporter for Monroe and Morgan counties. He joined WRTV in August of 2023. The Oakland, CA native is not a Hoosier by birth, but is excited to learn all about the area and tell the stories of the people who make this state feel like home. Share your story ideas and important issues with Taj by emailing him at [email protected]. ...read more read less