Officials touted accomplishments in infrastructure, economic development and the challenges ahead in 2026 at the Speedway State of the Town.
Dozens of residents met Feb. 19 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s Media Center to hear the update in the town’s centennial year.
“We’re all very proud of the progress we’ve accomplished here in Speedway,” said Town Council President Jason DeLisle. “And while there is more work to do, there’s no question that Speedway is moving forward in a positive direction.”
Here’s what Speedway officials count as successes and what they see as future challenges.
What town officials count as success
- The town began the design process for Main Street infrastructure improvements, including crosswalk repairs and landscaping. Keiser Consulting will begin the design process this year, and construction is expected to begin in 2027.
- The Speedway Redevelopment Commission helped find a new owner for 5735 Crawfordsville Road, the site of the 1978 Burger Chef robbery kidnappings that resulted in the death of four Speedway teens. The infamous Burger Chef building was demolished in 2023 and a commercial building was built in its place. The town’s redevelopment commission also approved reimbursing DA Dental Partners LLC with $21,291 in permit fees and development-related expenses.
- Construction of the $2.1-million Al Unser Sr. Roundabout at 16th Street and Main Street is expected to be completed by April. The roundabout was partially funded by the Al Unser Sr. Trust and will feature metal panels that will depict the history of racing and lyrics to “Back Home Again in Indiana.”
- The town was awarded a $100,000 grant for the 16th Street Multimodal Corridor Study that will lay the foundation for future infrastructure improvements to serve pedestrians, cyclists, transit users and drivers.
- New businesses opened in 2025, including Noble Art, Smoothie King, Tropical Smoothie Cafe and the Elevate Career Center.
- The $2.3-million 25th Street Reconstruction Project rebuilt the lanes on 25th Street from Lynhurst Drive to Parkwood Drive from the stone base to the asphalt surface. The project also added curbs, sidewalks and driveway approaches, and it raised or lowered manholes to be at the same level as the street.
Despite some major water main breaks, town officials said they saw some success in building up the town’s water infrastructure.
- In July, the town entered into an agreement with Leopardo Energy to capture methane gas and convert it into energy at the Speedway Wastewater Treatment Plant, 4251 W. Vermont St. The project is expected to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide and save the town $2.7 million on energy costs over 20 years.
- The town’s Wastewater Treatment Department replaced the grit clarifier at the plant to improve its efficiency and installed a new carbon filter HVAC system to reduce gas emissions and improve air quality.
- Speedway Water Works installed and activated radio-integrated water meters to make billing more accurate and reading meters more efficient. It also rehabilitated two drinking water wells and replaced several old fire hydrants.
New fees, revenue questions
According to Speedway Clerk-Treasurer Philip Foust, residents will see three new fee increases in 2026.
- The town council secured a 10-year waste collection contract with Waste Management that would increase fees from $16.75 per month to $17.53 beginning April 1.
- The council approved a stormwater utility fee of $3.75 per month in January to deal with the town’s aging water infrastructure, including system repairs, infrastructure upgrades, flood mitigation and water quality protection.
- Foust said the town is expected to raise sewer fees as much as $12 per month in order to pay for a $15-million to $20-million project mandated by the state in order to prevent sewage overflows into Eagle Creek. The project is part of a deal struck with the state after the town reported violating the amount of pollutants, such as phosphorus, E. coli and ammonia nitrogen, it is allowed to discharge into the creek between August 2022 and May 2025.
Foust also said the full impact of state property tax collection changes in 2025 is still unclear. Senate Enrolled Act 1 limited how much property taxes could be collected from homeowners and businesses, leading townships, school districts and libraries to slash their budgets and services.
“Revenue projections are based on assumptions, and assumptions can be wrong, but our best guess, if nothing else changes, is that, overall, the town will likely realize significantly less revenue over time under Senate Enrolled Act 1 than if that law had not been passed,” Foust said.
Foust said that in order to deal with potentially less income, the town should not overcommit on operating expenses, such as payroll.
“The takeaway now is that we shouldn’t panic, however, because we can expect costs to increase and revenues will not be increasing as much as previously expected, we need to be conscientious,” he said.
To learn more
The Speedway Town Council meets at 7 p.m. on the second Monday of each month at the Speedway Municipal Center, 5300 Crawfordsville Road. The next meeting will be March 9.
The full Speedway State of the Town address is available to view on Speedway Community TV’s YouTube Channel.
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Mirror Indy reporter Enrique Saenz covers west Indianapolis. Contact him at 317-983-4203 or enrique.saenz@mirrorindy.org. Follow him on Bluesky at @enriquesaenz.bsky.social.
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