The IndyGo Board of Directors authorized the agency to spend up to $300,000 to fund two mobility pilots aimed at increasing resident’s transportation options. The pilots were identified through the Ford City:One Challenge that culminated last month.
The two projects funded by IndyGo are in addition to two selected by the selection committee, which included IndyGo CEO, Inez Evans.
“We were impressed by how the pilot proposals hit at the core of our strategic goals at IndyGo,” said IndyGo Board President, Juan Gonzalez. “We are constantly looking for smart solutions to those mobility barriers in our city and these two solutions respond to what MLK Center and Briometrix heard from our community.”
IndyGo will work with the MLK Center to develop and pilot a neighborhood-based micro-transit service utilizing wheelchair accessible and family friendly vehicles to connect Midtown residents to jobs, school, health care, and first/last mile connections to fixed transit routes.
In addition, IndyGo will work with Briometrix on its “City on Wheels” proposal to digitally map and assess the health and integrity of 61 miles of sidewalk infrastructure along the Red Line bus rapid transit line. The pilot will employ local residents who use wheelchairs, and these findings will be used in the development of pedestrian infrastructure along the Purple and Blue Lines.
Developed by Ford, the Challenge is a community-centered initiative to explore a city’s transportation needs and then collaborate on new solutions. Following six months of community workshops and input, local research, and the framing of key mobility issues, applicants submitted 120 proposals to the Challenge. A selection committee of local business, civic leaders and community members narrowed those ideas to twelve finalists that were competing for up to $100,000 in pilot funding from the Challenge.
IndyGo will partner with Central Indiana Community Fund (CICF) to administer the funds to the two additional pilots. The MLK Center will receive four vehicles along with 100,000 for maintenance. Biometrix will receive $58,000.
The two pilots funded through the City:One Challenge are from AbleLink Smart Living Technologies and The Learning Tree. AbleLink will enhance transportation for individuals with cognitive disabilities using personalized visual, audio, and vibration prompts on a mobile phone. The Learning Tree’s “Knowledge = The Power of Mobility” proposal will work with nontraditional transportation providers to collect baseline data regarding the challenges for low-income communities to access transportation, to be used to both increase the information available about existing transportation options and to create additional means of getting around the city.
The four winning pilots will be launched in Indianapolis next year. Details about all four of the winning proposals are available on The Challenge website.
About IndyGo
IndyGo, the Indianapolis Public Transportation Corporation, is committed to connecting the community to economic and cultural opportunities through safe, reliable, and accessible mobility experiences. The IndyGo Red Line is the nation’s first fully-battery electric bus rapid transit line, besides California, and provides 10-15 minute service to an average of 7,000 trips per day through the heart of Indianapolis. To learn more, visit our website, follow us on Twitter @IndyGoBus, or call 317.635.3344.
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