City Will Not Buy BlueIndy Stations

Indianapolis will not purchase the abandoned BlueIndy charging stations.  The decision comes after an assessment of reuse possibilities.

The electric car sharing program ended operations this year, leaving 89 charging stations around the city. After a request for information and an infrastructure analysis, the city says the above ground stations can’t provide feasible reuse possibilities.

Instead the city will engage communities on possible reuse strategies that could include below ground electric, said Policy Advisor MacKenzie Higgins.

"We’ve always been intentional about wanting to be responsive to community need, be nuanced in our analysis and really react to the context of the specific site," Higgins said.

Ideas that have been floated include e-bikes, other electric transportation alternatives or placemaking options, including parklets.

Higgins said the administration sees the stations as an opportunity.

"Trying to be thoughtful in our reuse and taking advantage of what we feel is a true asset and sets Indianapolis up to be a leader in a very quickly evolving transportation landscape," Higgins said. 

Some have argued that businesses need the parking and the space should be reverted back. That possibility will be addressed as well through community outreach.

BlueIndy started under Republican Mayor Greg Ballard’s administration, with a $6 million investment from the city.

The city will do outreach over the next few months and then select proposals next year.