Member

Joined: 15 May 2006
Posts: 728
Location: West Lafayette, IN

Indianapolis needs mass transit... seriously.

Remember a few years back when they city drew up plans for light rail lines to be built around the city and surrounding areas?

Well I have a better idea, why not use existing railroad infrastructure and run commuter trains on it? Chicago and Nashville have commuter trains, as well as many other metropolitan areas across the United States. There is already more than enough rail lines in the area and new ones can be built accordingly. I think this is a great idea, what are your thoughts?

Site Admin

Joined: 15 Jun 2005
Posts: 2316
Location: Indianapolis, IN

They are great talking points but since I moved back to Indianapolis in 1995 they have been just that.... talking points. I feel in 2015 they will still be just talking points.

Site Admin

Joined: 17 Jun 2005
Posts: 949
Location: Carmel, IN

I don't know...they've already formed a regional transporation authority. That's a big step which will help the city cooperate with the suburban jurisdictions surrounding it.

I agree that using the existing rail lines would be a good idea. The current idea is to put some kind of system on the I-69 to Downtown corridor, which would likely use the tracks that the Fair Train uses. Stops in Noblesville, 2x in Fishers, Broad Ripple, Fair Grounds, and then downtown. Problem with using existing lines is that some really good ones are already gone. The Monon would have been the commuter line to Carmel, but it's gone. And the line that went up to Zionsville and Lebanon is also gone past the Rock Island Refinery.

I think a combination of transit modes will have to be the answer. Rail to Fishers/Noblesville. Light express rail to the airport. Express motorcoach buses to Zionsville, Brownsburg, Avon, Plainfield, Greenwood, Greenfield.

Oh, and by the way, let's get a real rail option to Chicago.

Site Admin

Joined: 15 Jun 2005
Posts: 2316
Location: Indianapolis, IN

I'd love to see a monorail type system. I love those. But I won't hold my breath.

Site Admin

Joined: 17 Jun 2005
Posts: 949
Location: Carmel, IN

Actually, one of the best places to put a light rail system would be along the Meridian Street corridor, from Carmel (maybe as far north as 146th Street), all the way to downtown. But an elevated rail would never work there, given the historic houses, governor's mansion, and the generally richie-rich folks that live there. So it would have to go underground, at least south of 465.

Alternatively, you could elevate a monorail above the Monon - although you'll get a lot of opposition to that. So maybe it would have to go underground beneath the Monon trail. But think about that route - it's some of the most densely populated areas between Carmel and Indy.

Member

Joined: 15 May 2006
Posts: 728
Location: West Lafayette, IN

I like the above-ground/below-ground ideas on existing railroad right of ways. Brownsburg and Avon wouldn't necessarily have to be motor coach because they already have rail lines in place.