INDIANAPOLIS — On Thursday, Feb. 29, Indiana House Speaker Todd Huston announced an agreement between lawmakers and IndyGo and the city of Indianapolis that would allow more shared lanes with buses along the Blue Line on Washington St. The agreement will allow two lanes of general traffic to be maintained in each direction of Washington Street whenever possible.
Senate Bill 52, which prohibited designated bus lanes, would have effectively halted the planning and construction of the Blue Line, a key component to IndyGo’s planned improvements to the mass transit system. SB 52 passed the Senate Committee and the House Transportation Committee and was heading to the floor of the General Assembly for a general vote. The compromise defeated the bill.
The planned construction will be 24 miles, stretching from the Indianapolis International Airport through the city to Hancock County, using Washington St. (U.S. 40) for most of the way. Planning is in the final stages and construction is set to begin in 2025.
Along with the construction of the dedicated lanes, the plans call for new or upgraded traffic signals, ADA compliant curb ramps, new or replaced sidewalks, storm water improvements, road resurfacing, and much more. Federal grant money as part of the Blue Line will pay for the improvements.
Late last year, resident and business owners voiced concerns that the Blue Line’s construction would create problems for customers coming into their businesses or getting access to their homes. IndyGo has made some modifications to plans to address those concerns.