Red Line to Receive Federal Funding
After more than two years of waiting, federal funding for the IndyGo Red Line transit project will soon become available. Congressman André Carson (D-07) says the U.S. Department of Transportation will sign a Small Starts Grant agreement for $75 million within the next week. As a result of the funding, IndyGo Chief Executive Officer Mike Terry says the organization is ready to move forward with final preparations for groundbreaking on the first phase of the project.
Phase 1 of the project features a 13.1-mile bus rapid transit line that runs from Broad Ripple Village on the north side of Indianapolis through downtown and ending at the University of Indianapolis on the south side. It will feature 27 new stations as well as new 13-foot articulated electric buses.
"As a member of the House Transportation Committee, I have fought for the Red Line for a long time including through regular contact with appropriators in Congress and both Obama and Trump Administration officials," said Carson. "Funding this project is an important step toward modernization of public transit in Indianapolis. I look forward to the successful completion of this project in a way that provides the highest quality service to connect Hoosiers across our community."
The $75 million in federal funding for the project’s first phase includes $50 million previously approved by Congress and $25 million funded through a Small Starts Grant. The funding was first recommended for approval by the Federal Transportation Authority in February 2016.
Construction on the first phase of the project is expected to be complete in 2019. The entire Red Line project is expected to cost more than $96 million with the line running from Westfield to Greenwood. You can learn more about the Red Line by clicking here.