urbanOut

Back in early March, I offered my analysis and opinion on the IndyConnect plan, a new transportation initiative for the Indianapolis region released in February.   For a recap on the plans highlights and components, check out my blog posting here.  As I said then, I am a huge advocate for increased transit options and thus support the IndyConnect plan on principle alone, especially for a place like Indianapolis where transit choice is severely limited.  With that said, I have my reservations with the current plan, summarized in the following bullet points:

• The plan isn’t comprehensive enough, only featuring 2 commuter lines and 1 light rail line.
• The plan doesn’t include urban circulators or streetcars. 
• Because of the lack of urban circulators, the plan seems suburban oriented, prioritizing suburban commuting congestion and forgetting about issues we should be focusing on: urban neighborhood development.

Essentially, I believe the current plan is not urban enough and needs more transit options for the residents who will ultimately utilize the transit improvements: urbanites.   To build on this belief that more urban transit options are needed, I have further analysis and opinion I probably should have included in my first round of critique.  Essentially, I believe a major light rail connection should be implemented between downtown and Broad Ripple along College Avenue.  This idea is something that ought to be prioritized over other rail improvements currently outlined in the IndyConnect plan.    

This connection seems obvious and a no-brainer: the two areas are urban Indianapolis’s premier entertainment and shopping districts.  A light rail connection would capitalize on these place-based assets, allow a higher number of people to frequent each place and go towards solving the parking problems that currently plague each district – especially Broad Ripple.  Speaking from personal experience, I live downtown and rarely frequent Broad Ripple since I don’t have a car and IndyGo is so inconvenient that getting up there seems more a hassle than a leisure.  If there were fixed rail in the ground with a predictable, common sense schedule, I would be more likely to head up to Broad Ripple and enjoy their numerous independent restaurants and shops not found downtown.     

Another great thing about putting fixed rail along College Avenue is the immense development potential that currently exists along the street.  College Avenue is known for its commercial nodes dotting the landscape every few blocks.  Each features unique shopping and restaurant options and each has potential for infill and residential density to further compliment existing development patterns.  Unfortunately, these nodes are notorious for one significant problem: their nightmare parking situations.  And ultimately, this issue is holding a lot of these districts back from featuring a higher diversity of services and thus keeping them from becoming legitimate neighborhood business districts.  A light rail line along College Avenue along with some adjusting of current zoning regulations would allow for transit-oriented development to occur, encouraging increased residential density and allowing these commercial nodes to reach higher potentials.   

Plus, if the City implements urban circulators (streetcars) in both downtown and Broad Ripple, connectivity, transit usage, and mobility would increase, allowing for more urban oriented development to occur along the College Avenue light rail line as well as in and around the streetcar lines.  Essentially, each transit option would complement the other and create a real urban synergy not presently found in Indianapolis.  Creating such synergies not only ensures a return on investment for the City, it also creates urban atmospheres and sophistications that caters to urban minded people and younger generations who desire such places yet can’t currently find them in Indianapolis.  And if this City is serious about becoming world-class, places and neighborhoods with urban sophistication is a must!   

The current IndyConnect plan calls for an express bus route along College Avenue from downtown to Broad Ripple.  So yes, this would be an upgrade to current transit services and would help people like me travel between each destination, but once again, this idea does little for urban development/redevelopment between the two districts and thus doesn’t capitalize on the corridors potential.  Fixed rail, on the other hand, is a proven economic development creator as seen in places like Portland, Seattle, Tampa Bay, and Tacoma (and soon to be Cincinnati, woo!).    The nature of fixed transit, unlike bus routes with their ever-changing routes, diminishes uncertainly for developers and lets them know exactly where a steady flow of customers and residents will be.  With this uncertainly diminished and development occurring along the route, the City must rework their zoning policies, as I noted above, to ensure this development is transit-oriented, as such development can increase residential density at transit stops, encourages walkability and transit use, and thus capitalizes on the rail investments made by the City.    

Since I have been unable to attend any public open houses regarding this plan and will once again be unavailable this Wednesday, June 9^th, where the plan will be presented at the Conseco Fieldhouse from 5-9 pm, this is my way of providing my input and opinion.  I am a potential customer who would love to utilize a transit network that makes sense and features an array of options, I just hope that such a plan serves the urbanites as well as the suburbanites and takes advantage of the development potential that exists throughout the City, namely along College Avenue.  Nonetheless, it should be interesting to see how the IndyConnect plan evolves and changes before the public has their chance to vote on the increased sales tax to help finance the plan.  Hopefully encouraging more urban oriented transit options will go a long way towards achieving public support and ultimately success.  Lord knows we need better transit options in Indianapolis!