Congress set to vote on IndyGo’s Red Line
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH – Congress is set to vote Wednesday on a budget that includes money for IndyGo’s Red Line Rapid Transit System.
The budget includes $50 million for the project.
IndyGo has been working for years to get this project moving forward, and it even included hiking local taxes.
“Getting to work, to have access to housing, to healthcare, to education, to food. These are basic needs, these are basic things that people should be able to rely on and in a city this size not being able to depend on their transit system is ridiculous,” said Lacey Everett, the spokesperson for Transit Drives Indy.
The group advocated for the funding and the referendum Marion County voters approved in November.
In the initial phase of the project dedicated bus lanes will run from Broad Ripple south to UIndy.
“It helps us get started with doing what we should have done years ago and I’m happy,” said Rep. Andre Carson.
In the coming years rapid transit bus lines will also expand on east/west bus routes.
“There’s a lot of buses that don’t go to certain places, so that leaves a lot of people that can’t get to and from work,” said Sherry Stubbs, a bus rider.
The expansions would include more service earlier and later in the day and on weekends.
IndyGo originally asked for $75 million dollars, but Wednesday’s vote is only for $50 million. IndyGo wouldn’t say where the left over $25 million would come from.
Construction on the Red Line is set to begin in 2018. Taxes are set to go up in October.