IndyGo Receives Federal Funding for Purple Line

Subscriber Benefit
As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowThe Federal Transit Administration has awarded a nearly $81 million Small Starts Capital Investment Grant to IndyGo for its planned Purple Line Bus Rapid Transit service. The 15.2-mile line, which will cost an estimated $162 million, is designed to connect Indianapolis to Lawrence when complete.
IndyGo Chief Executive Officer Inez Evans says the Purple Line will improve one of the most productive routes with the highest ridership in the IndyGo system. In addition to the line itself, the project will also include infrastructure improvements along the 38th Street corridor.
“We’re so grateful to the FTA for another huge vote of confidence,” said Inez Evans, IndyGo president and CEO. “This award means we can finally put years of planning into action for the second BRT line.”
The project follows IndyGo’s Red Line Bus Rapid Transit service, which launched in 2019.
While the FTA grant will cover half the cost of the project, IndyGo says the remaining investment will come from a combination of local funding through a transit income tax, the city of Indianapolis Department of Public Works, as well as other FTA and Federal Highway Administration sources.
IndyGo says contractors will soon be invited to bid on construction packages. The organization is planning a series of public meetings in January to discuss construction schedules.
Construction is slated to begin as early as February with the service set to begin in 2024. You can learn more about the Purple Line by clicking here.