Monthly archives: August, 2011

Indianapolis Streetcar Plan gets some press

Portland Streetcar (image credit: Curt Ailes)

Anyone see the latest IBJ has hit the stands? I will refrain from analysis of any kind at this point and simply point out a couple links for catching up on the first volley in the Indianapolis Streetcar debate. IBJ Story: http://www.ibj.com/backers-seek-support-for-2mile-streetcar-line-downtown/PARAMS/article/29171Â (requires subscription) WTHR 13 Story: http://www.wthr.com/story/15351324/planners-eye-downtown-indianapolis-streetcar-route Downtown Indianapolis Streetcar Corp: http://indianapolisstreetcar.org/home.html Read up. I …

IndyGo’s 2012 budget is $6 million short

IndyGo bus on Indiana Ave (image credit: Curt Ailes)

Another year, another round of budget shortfalls. The same old story for IndyGo, Indianapolis’ municipal transit provider. For the 2012 fiscal year, the short fall is expected to be $6.4 million short. At the core of the issue is existing funding sources drying up vs rising costs to do business mostly in the form of …

Non-Profit Spotlight: Every Body Walk

At this point, most Americans have heard of the countryâ€™s struggle with obesity and unhealthy lifestyles.Â No statistic highlights this problem better than Americaâ€™s increasing obesity rates: in the 1980â€™s only one state had obesity rates above 20%; today 49 states do.Â Time and time again, the blame for this goes to fast food and …

Weekend Fun: The Best Smelling Alley in Town

Rarely does a person wander through an alley in the city and ask “what smells so good?” One of the installed artworks along the Cultural Trail has a rose scent emanating from under the framework pictured above. Â I dig it.

Kilroy’s Bar coming to Broad Ripple?

Cardinal Fitness (image credit: Curt Ailes)

Have you ever heard of “bad development”? Have you ever heard a developer or commercial center utter the words, “We do not want more of this economic development”? Now you have, because this is exactly what the Broad Ripple Village Association (BRVA) along with a host of partner organizations and citizens are saying; and with …

Central Indiana Regional Bikeways Plan up for review

Central Indiana Bicycle Plan - Draft (image credit: bikeway plan)

Urban Indy is a huge champion for cycling improvements within the Indianapolis area. Cycling is a low cost, low emission and healthy way to get around for short trips to the store, to see friends, get to work, school, etc. It is with these thoughts, that I am happy to pen this review of the …

First Meeting of Indiana Joint Study on Transportation

I-69 (image credit: http://www.i69indyevn.org/)

Actually, it is called, The Joint Study Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Assessment and Solutions, but that was far too long of a title to put for the post. However, the first meeting of the committee was on August 23rd and consisted of 23 members of the Indiana House & Senate. The topics of discussion …

A Simple Solution to Stem Public Discontent

Twice over the past few days I’ve overheard discussions and complaints about how slow construction has been on the Cultural Trail in Fountain Square. In both cases, I interjected and explained that two of the main reasons for delays were the separate discoveries of buried historic rail lines and underground vaults. Both times I shared …

Utility Pole moved out of sidewalk on Shelby Street

Relocated utility pole on Shelby Street (image credit: reader submission)

You regulars keeping track of the ongoing utility pole issue on Shelby Street will be happy to see this update. The reader who has helped to keep me informed of the utility pole issues surrounding the reconstruction of the sidewalk adjacent to the Shelby Street cycle track sent in the attached photos today. As you …

Lockerbie Proposal Hints at 2-way College Avenue

The IBJ’s Property Lines has posted an article about a new mixed-use proposal located on the northwest corner of College and Michigan in the Lockerbie Square neighborhood.Â The project is large enough on its own: 190 market-rate apartments, 44,000 sq feet of retail and office space, reopening Cincinnati Street, located on 3/4 of a city …