Drivers heading northeast from downtown have probably noted orange barrels going up, along with signs warning that construction will begin soon on the Purple Line, the second rapid-transit project to be built in Indianapolis after the Red Line, which runs north-south. The Purple Line will eventually connect downtown with Lawrence, and usher in faster commute times. Work will begin in earnest in spring of this year and the project construction will move east from there. No exact end date for construction has been released at this time.
The Purple Line’s route will cover over 15 miles, linking downtown Indianapolis with the City of Lawrence. Stops along the way include the State Fairgrounds, the Children’s Museum, the Statehouse, and the Fort Ben campus of Ivy Tech. There will be transit stops along the route connecting people with shops, jobs, and cultural institutions. The line will follow the current Route 39, which is one of the highest ridership routes in the city. Segments of routes 4 and 38 will also be included in the new line. Riders will be share part of the route from the Julia Carson Transit Center to 38th St. and Park Ave. Those going northeast will follow 38th St. to Post and then north to Ivy Tech.
Currently, utilities are being relocated and other construction tasks are beginning in preparation for the installation of transit shelters and other needs. As part of the agreement to share in utility relocation costs on the Purple Line, IndyGo will reimburse Citizens Energy Group up to $1.5 million for construction cost overages.
Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) stations along the route will have ticket kiosks so that riders can buy tickets anywhere along the line. In addition to building the stations, the $188 million budget for the Purple Line includes making significant improvements to drainage, sidewalks, and curbs. As part of the improvement package, a multi-use path through Eva Talley Park will be created.
Late in October, IndyGo implemented plans to recharge the electric buses on the Red Line using inductive charging. The en-route inductive charging process allows buses to recharge quickly on the go. When the Red Line was opened in September 2019, there were problems with the electric buses not charging properly, with the problem worsened by extreme cold. IndyGo has installed one inductive charging station at 6410 N. College Ave., and has plans to install them on Madison Ave. for the southern part of the Red Line. They are planning a charging station for the Purple Line to be at Ivy Tech.
To learn more about the Purple Line and view the latest construction updates, visit www.indygo.net/purple-line/.
