Source: (Photo provided by IndyGo.)
INDIANAPOLIS — Rapid bus transit has been slowly but surely popping up in Indianapolis over the last decade. Now IndyGo wants to put the final piece of the puzzle in as it looks to finally finish the proposed Blue Line.
The Blue Line is the third and final piece of IndyGo’s overall rapid bus transit system along with the Purple Line and the Red Line.
The Blue Line will run from the town of Cumberland all the way to the airport. work had begun on the project a couple of years ago, but because IndyGo was going over budget with the project it had to be put on hold. Now IndyGo will ask the city for funds to complete the project over the next year.
The city-county council will vote in two weeks on whether to approve $125 million in city funding for IndyGo to overhaul Washington Street with bus stops and rapid bus lanes.
There ill be lots of opposition present when the vote happens, mainly business owners along Washington Street who feel the bus lanes will make it difficult for regular drivers to access their businesses.
“People who want to get here via vehicle aren’t going to be able to do that with the bus coming in, so we’re definitely not excited about that,” said Jason McClure on WISH-TV. He’s the owner of Smash’d Burger bar on Johnson Street in Irvington.
He said under the construction plan people won’t be able to turn onto Johnson Street from Washington to get to his burger joint.
Other business owners are worried that the Blue Line will undo a lot of improvements the town of Irvington has made.
“The community worked together to raise funds for the streetscapes, as a community we put in, that’s now at risk of being torn out,” said Lisa Bennett, owner of Black Sheep Gifts. “We would love to see the Blue Line moved off of Washington Street, whether it’s Brookville or 10th Street. Those have areas that do not have this corridor of business.”
IndyGo says the Blue Line construction will bring its own improvements not just to Irvington but all along Washington Street in the way of new or replaced sidewalks. new street paving, and replaced ADA curb ramps. They also expect more economic development to happen with the Blue Line’s construction.
Irvington community leaders plan to discuss the Blue Line at a community meeting on October 10th at Irvington Insurance.
