IndyGo Purple Line is getting ready to debut on October 13

Indianapolis, Indiana – Tony Peters noted that although he sits on a metal telephone company utility box on a wide area of the sidewalk where the bench used to be, he doesn’t always feel safe while waiting for an IndyGo bus near East 42nd Street and North Post Road.

“The bus company never replaced the bench that was hit by someone over there.”

From his vantage point, Peters can see the newly constructed Bus Rapid Transit station at the crossroads. Tucked between the north and southbound lanes, it’s where IndyGo will start picking up and dropping off Purple Line customers on October 13.

“It will happen more frequently, which is undoubtedly going to be more convenient,” he stated. It would also be a convenient location to catch the bus. There should be a more cozy spot to sit there that is also less exposed to traffic, which is important because I have seen individuals run up on the curb here.

The $162 million Purple Line, which would run between Lawrence and downtown Indianapolis on Post Road and 38th and Meridian Streets, will really be implemented by IndyGo.

Improvements to the road surface, sidewalk, curb, and drainage accounted for half of the project’s budget.

IndyGo buses will start to arrive along North Post Road every 15 to 20 minutes under the new system, and more often along the Red Line route that will connect to the Purple Line.

The new traffic configurations, which prioritize the bus line, will present challenges to drivers.

“The bus will travel independently of traffic because there is a dedicated bus lane,” stated Carrie Black, chief public affairs officer with IndyGo. “Moreover, the bus has transit signal priority at intersections, which enables it to turn a red light green and depart slightly ahead of regular traffic.”

According to Black, there won’t be as many stops along the route, but the bus shelters will be more secure and user-friendly.

“Every single BRT station includes covered seating. “They have level boarding as well,” she remarked. “With fixed routes, we might have had bus stops every block, but when we talk about bus rapid transit and the efficiency it offers, the stops are spaced out a little bit farther, but they are still planned so that the majority of riders can get to them in a quarter of a mile or less.”

To speed up the boarding process, the shelters will also have kiosks where passengers may buy their tickets in advance.

IndyGo is using more fare monitors to cut down on the number of free riders who travel without paying, according to Black. “You have to pay to ride the bus and in the case of the Red Line and the Purple Line, you need to pay before you ride the bus,” Black said.

During the first week of operation, IndyGo will supply Purple Line ambassadors to help riders access the new system.