Funds from the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) will improve safety and mobility along a segment of the Blue Line Bus Rapid Transit Corridor
INDIANAPOLIS — IndyGo was recently awarded nearly $22 million from the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) discretionary grant program, making it one of only a few mid-sized transit agencies across the country to receive these funds from the Biden-Harris Administration.
Working alongside the City of Indianapolis and the Indianapolis Metropolitan Planning Organization (IMPO), IndyGo will use these funds to construct critical infrastructure and safety improvements along the Historic East section of the Blue Line bus rapid transit corridor. More specifically, these funds will be used to make a 4.7 mile stretch of East Washington Street between Highland and Edmondson avenues safer for all road users by investing directly in the following improvements:
- Roadway lane reconfigurations.
- Dedicated bus lanes.
- Upgraded sidewalks and crossings.
- Street and pedestrian markings.
- ADA compliant curb ramps.
- Signage and wayfinding.
- Transit signal priority and traffic signals.
This federal grant from the USDOT reduces the amount of local taxes that will be needed to build the Blue Line project. This is further evidence of IndyGo’s commitment to being good stewards of Marion County residents’ tax dollars, and to doing its part to address safety issues, and improve infrastructure, in an area that has historically been underserved.
“We’re very excited the USDOT recognized the significance of addressing the critical traffic and safety issues in this stretch of Washington Street,” said IndyGo President and CEO Jennifer Pyrz. “For the last several years, the Historic East area has been plagued by a high number of serious and deadly crashes. This investment in safety upgrades and street modernization, on a section of roadway that has been identified by the IMPO as part of Indianapolis’ High Injury Network, will also improve transit efficiency for a foundational community within our city.”
IndyGo is also grateful to several others for their support in this grant process.
“As a senior member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, I was proud to champion the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which has made the Washington Street project possible,” said Congressman André Carson (IN-07). “This law has resulted in thousands of new projects across our country, which translates to good-paying jobs and transformative projects that will directly impact Indianapolis residents. I was proud to recommend this project to the Department of Transportation and remain grateful for IndyGo’s leadership in building a stronger, safer, and more accessible city.”
“IndyGo receiving RAISE grant funding is a huge win for our entire community, as it doubles as a crucial safety enhancement and public infrastructure project,” said City of Indianapolis Department of Public Works Director Brandon Herget. “For two years in a row our community has received this significant and highly competitive funding and this announcement further solidifies the region’s ongoing commitments to enhancing safety for all travelers, with a particular emphasis on those who rely on transit.”
“The IMPO’s High Injury Network Analysis identifies local corridors with the highest frequency of crashes resulting in incapacitating injuries and fatalities within the Metropolitan Planning Area,” said IMPO Executive Director Anna Gremling. “Data points from this service area show that improvements like these are needed to help protect individuals along this segment, and we believe this project and its benefits will bring all of us closer to that reality.”
The RAISE Discretionary Grant program provides a unique opportunity for the DOT to invest in road, rail, transit and port projects that promise to achieve national objectives. It’s one of several competitive grant programs providing funding to communities across the country under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. As in years past, the demand for RAISE funding outpaced available funds, with the Department receiving almost $13 billion in requests for the $1.8 billion available this year.
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