IndyGo Hears Concerns About The Purple Line

IndyGo took input Tuesday evening from residents with concerns about the Purple Line. The line will run 14 and a half miles between downtown Indianapolis and Lawrence, the current route 39. Construction will start this winter or early next year.

Around 30 attended the meeting and gave feedback on topics ranging from public safety to route changes.

Charles Tony Knight, from Crown Hill, has ridden the bus for 35 years and is concerned about small businesses, traffic and accessibility to stations.

“They haven’t presented us alternatives. They haven’t talked to the businesses. They haven’t talked to the residents. They haven’t talked to the car drivers,” Knight says.

His concerns were shared by other attendees. Director of public affairs for IndyGo, Lauren Day, says they did engage the public, though making significant changes to the design at this point would be costly.

“We have spoken with and engaged the community in alternatives in the past,” Day says. “That’s part of the process that we went through last summer, talking about what are the trade-offs with dedicated lanes, busses in mixed traffic, how is the transit system really going to be improved.”

Day says meetings are to update and clarify information. Meetings also serve as a place to gather contact information and find out the best way to communicate with people going forward.

IndyGo says someone took notes on the feedback and will share it with those who provided their emails. The Purple Line is still scheduled to open in late fall 2021.