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A new, north-south connector on Bloomington’s west side is moving from conception to design. The Monroe County Redevelopment Commission approved contracting with Indianapolis engineering firm DLZ to design a road connecting West Vernal Pike to Profile Parkway, yesterday. According to the contract, the design would include a new bridge over an existing railroad line. During the Redevelopment Commission’s meeting, Public Works Director Lisa Ridge told the commission the project is funded with a combination of federal and county dollars. But Ridge says the design contract, will be funded only with local money. According to Ridge, the overall cost of the road design is a little over 740 thousand dollars, and would take around a year. She says the county right-of-way acquisition is planned for next year, with an eye for actual construction beginning in 2022.