Tag «Indyconnect»

Mobilizing in Support for Mass Transit

The next month will be absolutely critical for supporters of Indianapolis Transit. First, they need to pass the budget for 2017. The budget didn’t clear a Committee Hearing last month in a surprise move. Fortunately there is still time to save the budget, with a hearing scheduled at the full Council next Monday at 7pm at the …

A peak into the future at Indy BRT (updated)

Initial BRT routes? (map credit: Google maps)

  I reported a couple of weeks ago that Indianapolis had received a grant from the FTA to study “bus rapid transit” on the central corridors comprised of Washington Street east/west and some combination of streets north/south from Carmel, through downtown to the University of Indianapolis on the south side. This post attempts to explore the possible …

FTA Awards $2 Million to Indy for BRT Planning

Indyconnect Adopted Plan (November 2010)

  On October 17th, 2011, the FTA awarded Indianapolis $2 million to conduct an alternatives analysis on what is termed, “Central Corridors”. (click here for the official FTA press release in .PDF format) This is direct from last year’s adopted Indyconnect plan that laid out future BRT lines along Washington Street east & west as …

Regional Transit and the Trip Not Taken

Portand MAX Light Rail at the airport (image credit: me)

The past year and some change has been an exciting time for transit in Indianapolis. I feel like we may be moving from the decades of study, study, study to something actually taking place. Proof of that is the current undertaking of the NE Corridor AA/EIS which is also accompanied by a land use study …

Take Indy Commuter Express on Colts Gameday

Miller Trailway's Bus used for the commuter service

According to a press release last week, Miller Trailways in partnership with CIRTA will be offering Colts gameday services from the normal weekday park & ride lots in Carmel & Fishers. This will provide a new way for people in the north suburbs to get to the Colts game without having to fight traffic & pay …

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 …

IURC approves water lease; $425m for infrastructure

Portland Streetcar (image credit: Curt Ailes)

On July 13th, 2011, the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission approved the lease of the water utility to Citizen’s Energy. While this has been debated vigorously over the past year and a half locally, what it means is that when it goes through, over $425 million will become available to put towards Rebuild Indy; a program …

Join the Central Indiana Transit Movement

Last week, CIRTA went public with it’s message focused on building a coalition of transit supporters. The effort includes a spot on their website to sign your name to a petition as well as a means of organizations crafting a resolution of support for dedicated transit funding in the upcoming 2012 Legislative Session. As I …