With construction on the Blue Line project about a year away, IndyGo held a series of open houses this month to provide updates to residents.
And what IndyGo officials heard tracks with much of the feedback they received during the build-outs of prior bus rapid transit lines: Residents are generally excited about the new options for mass transit while some business owners are generally worried about the effects of construction and the loss of traffic lanes along the busy Washington Street corridor.
The Blue Line, which will be the longest route at 24 miles, will travel from Cumberland on the east side to the Indianapolis International Airport on the west side.
Robert and Laura Stark, longtime residents of Irvington and co-owners of the neighborhood’s popular Jockamo Upper Crust Pizza, said they support mass transit but they have concerns. And they attended an IndyGo open house in Cumberland this month to share them — which included a desire to keep four lanes of traffic through the Irvington business district.
“Irvington is the narrowest corridor of this whole stretch,” Laura Stark said. “They are taking one lane east and one lane west of all of Washington, that’s just not feasible and it’s dangerous.”
Robert Stark added: Losing traffic lanes could also hinder deliveries.
“There will be no U-turn access for delivery trucks for left turn lanes, so we don’t know how they are going to do that,” Robert Stark said.
Some eastside residents, however, are excited.
Landon Davison, 28, lives in Woodruff Place and blends bicycle commuting and bus riding.
“I use IndyGo and a bicycle or some combination of the two to get most everywhere I’m going,” Davison said. “I’m a major proponent of public transportation infrastructure initiatives and I think this one has a lot of thought behind it.”
The Blue Line would replace IndyGo route 8, which currently has the highest ridership this year at 899,170, according to IndyGo spokeswoman Carrie Black.
Bus rapid transit lines are able to move more quickly than traditional buses in large part because of the dedicated bus lanes.
And having those dedicated lanes is a major requirement for the project, Black said.
“They improve safety for all modes of transportation and allow for a dedicated lane for emergency vehicles to utilize as well,” she said.
IndyGo has reached 90% design completion for the project, Black said, and construction is set to begin in spring 2025. The project is expected to cost at least $370 million.
Business owners who still have concerns and want to schedule a one-on-one meeting can submit a business meeting request online, Black said.
Residents, meanwhile, can submit a comment form online or call 317-635-3344.
Mirror Indy reporter Diane Moore covers the east side of Indianapolis. Contact her at diane.moore@mirrorindy.org or 317-732-5122. Follow her on X at @DianeMoore80711.