INDIANAPOLIS — IndyGo recently announced an award of $80.975 million for the construction of the Purple Line Bus Rapid Transit (BRT). The funding comes from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Small Starts Capital Investment Grant. The FTA’s Capital Investment Grant contribution represents 50% of the $162 million total cost of the Purple Line project.
IndyGo plans to conduct public meetings in January 2022 to discuss detailed construction schedules for the Purple Line. Construction is expected to begin as early as February 2022, with the route set to open for service in 2024.
“We’re so grateful to the FTA for another huge vote of confidence,” said Inez Evans, IndyGo president and CEO. “This award means we can finally put years of planning into action for the second BRT line. The Purple Line will run 15.2 miles, connecting the City of Indianapolis to the City of Lawrence and improving one of our highest ridership, most productive routes in the IndyGo system.”
The remaining project costs are being covered by a combination of local funding from the approved transit income tax, the City of Indianapolis Department of Public Works, and other FTA and Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) sources. With this step complete, IndyGo will soon invite contractors to bid on construction packages.
The Purple Line will reduce transit travel time and increase reliability and accessibility for riders. Beyond transit, nearly half the budget will fund significant infrastructure improvements along the 38th Street corridor, including new traffic signals, sidewalks and new or upgraded curb ramps.
The Purple Line is similar to the Red Line that connects Broad Ripple to the south side of Indianapolis, which opened Sept. 1 of 2019. Another line, the Blue Line, is currently in the works that would connect the airport to downtown, then connect to Cumberland via East Washington Street. The Blue Line will replace Route 8 and will cost $200 million, depending on the final configuration and route.
Learn more about the project and sign up for the Purple Line newsletter, at www.indygo.net/purple-line.
