Nearly $150 Million In Funding Will Support New BRT Line In Indianapolis

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has announced a grant award of $149.9 million to the Indianapolis Public Transportation Corporation (IndyGo) to help fund construction of the Blue Line Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project in central Indiana.

“The 24-mile BRT line will provide fast and frequent public transportation along one of Marion County, Indiana’s main east-west travel corridors. The corridor serves over 28 million visitors for conventions, meetings, and events and supports approximately 150,000 jobs,” according to a press release.

The project includes 12 miles of dedicated bus-only lanes in the urban core. The corridor encompasses some of the region’s largest trip generators, including downtown Indianapolis, the State Capitol, the airport, and the Indianapolis Zoo. The Blue Line will also stop at three high schools and several planned redevelopment areas.

“More than 28 million visitors come to the region each year for conventions, meetings, and sports events that are within walking distance of the Blue Line. That includes games involving the Indianapolis Colts and Indiana Pacers,” the release added. “Other large attractions near the line include the Convention Center and a soccer stadium that is under construction.

“The project includes 60-foot hybrid buses, helping improve air quality. Also, 30 stations will offer a variety of transit choices, including access for pedestrians, cyclists, transfers to and from other routes, and park-and-ride commuters.”

Federal support for the overall estimated $396 million project comes from FTA’s Capital Investment Grants (CIG) program, which helps communities carry out transformational transit projects.