Blue Line open houses aim to reach residents and businesses before construction

IndyGo is hosting a series of open houses this week to give residents a chance to check out plans for the Blue Line.

The line will be Indianapolis’s third bus rapid transit, or BRT, route. It follows the launch of the Red Line, and the Purple Line is under construction now.

The Blue Line will provide faster service across the city from Cumberland to the Indianapolis International Airport. Planning for the line is almost complete, and IndyGo Chief Public Affairs Officer Lesley Gordon said they are taking it to the public.

“We're really trying to get feedback from neighbors and business owners so that we make sure we understand how their customers access their business, how neighbors get to their homes. So when we build out that construction plan, it's accessible and inclusive of the community,” Gordon said.

IndyGo is offering local businesses the opportunity for one on one meetings. Businesses can benefit from signage and access assistance once construction starts.

The line received pushback at the Statehouse during past legislative sessions, which included concerns about the use of dedicated bus lanes. IndyGo is providing information at the open houses that addresses the need for those lanes, citing improved travel time and reliability.

The route is expected to cost about $370 million, and some of the funding will be provided through federal transportation dollars. The route had to be altered last year as construction and stormwater infrastructure costs ballooned. 

Gordon said the goal is to minimize the construction impact on businesses and residents as much as possible.

“We know this is a construction project, it's a long construction project, but showcasing the benefits of lots of infrastructure improvements, so people are asking questions,” Gordon said. “What does that look like? Where are the new sidewalks going? Where are they being repaved?”

Meetings are planned Wednesday at People For Urban Progress and Thursday at the Cumberland Town Hall.

The Blue Line is expected to open in 2027.

Contact WFYI city government and policy reporter Jill Sheridan at jsheridan@wfyi.org.