Transportation in Indianapolis

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Transportation in Indianapolis consists a complex network that includes a local public bus system, several private intercity bus providers, Amtrak passenger rail service, four freight rail lines, an Interstate Highway System, two airports, a heliport, bikeshare system, 115 miles (185 km) of bike lanes,[1] and 110 miles (177 km) of trails and greenways.[2][1] The city has also become known for its prevalence of electric scooters.[3]

History[]

The prospects of river navigation coupled with a site near the center of the state were largely responsible for the location of Indianapolis. However, the White River proved too shallow for commercial shipping.[4] After the steamboat Robert Hanna ran aground along the river in 1831, no steamboat successfully returned to Indianapolis. Flatboats continued to transport goods along a portion of the river until new dams impeded their ability to navigate its waters.[5]

In 1821, the Indiana General Assembly authorized the construction of ten state roads to connect Indianapolis with other population centers throughout the state. By 1836, the National Road had reached Indianapolis.[4] The National Road was the first major improved highway in the U.S. built by the federal government. Built between 1811 and 1837, the 620-mile (1,000 km) road extended east to Cumberland, Maryland and west to Vandalia, Illinois. Michigan Road, which bisected the state from north to south, was completed in 1839. Michigan Road connected Indianapolis to the inland ports of Michigan City, Indiana and Madison, Indiana, opening the city to maritime transport via Lake Michigan and the Ohio River.

The city's first union station opened in 1853 (pictured). The current Indianapolis Union Station opened on the site in 1888.

Two trains arrived in the city for the first time on October 1, 1847, to commemorate the completion of the Madison and Indianapolis Railroad.[6] Within five years, seven rail lines converged in the city, including the Indianapolis and Bellefontaine Railroad, the Terre Haute and Richmond Railroad, the Peru and Indianapolis Railroad, the Indianapolis and Cincinnati Railroad, and the Indianapolis and Lafayette Railroad companies.[7][8] Indianapolis is credited as the birthplace of the union station, conceiving of the concept in 1848. In 1849, the city's competing railroad companies cooperated to form the Indianapolis Union Railway Company to oversee operations of the first union depot, completed on September 20, 1853.[9]

Electric streetcars on Illinois Street in 1896

Public transit arrived in Indianapolis on October 3, 1864, in the form of 12-seat mule-drawn streetcars which began operating between Union Station and Military Park. Citizens Street Railway Company managed several streetcar lines running on a hub-and-spoke system radiating from downtown Indianapolis to outlying neighborhoods.[10][11] The first electric streetcar began operation on June 18, 1890, replacing the last of the mule-drawn streetcars in 1894.[12][8] Electrification of the city's streetcar system dramatically improved efficiency and expediency, allowing residents to live further from the civic and business center of downtown. The development of several streetcar suburbs occurred during this time, including Irvington, Riverside, and Woodruff Place.

As the city and its rail traffic increased, the original union depot quickly became obsolete necessitating the construction of a larger union station in 1886. At the time of its opening in 1888, Indianapolis Union Station was servicing 80 passenger trains per day from 16 different railroad companies.[8] In 1893, approximately 25,000 passengers rode an average of 120 passenger trains daily.[13] By 1900, 150 trains were arriving daily.[8] As the city's population grew and rail traffic increased, congestion at numerous level crossings became a major concern. Between 1905 and 1920, the city coordinated with the railroads to elevate tracks.[8]

Indianapolis Traction Terminal in 1915

On January 1, 1900, the first interurban arrived in Indianapolis from Greenwood, Indiana. To accommodate the growing popularity of interurban travel, the Indianapolis Traction Terminal opened in September 1904, serving all but one of the 13 interurban lines converging in the city. As the busiest interurban station in the world, the Indianapolis Traction Terminal was the hub for Indiana's extensive 2,400-mile (3,900 km) interurban system. According to the Encyclopedia of Indianapolis, at the height of ridership, the terminal served more than 600 trains daily and seven million passengers annually. As automobiles became increasingly prevalent, the interurban's popularity waned. The Indianapolis Traction Terminal served its last interurban in September 1941.[8]

In 1910, Indianapolis Motor Speedway hosted the first licensed aviation meet in the U.S.

Some of the first aircraft to take flight in the city occurred at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway during the first licensed aviation meet in the U.S. and first public demonstration of airplanes in Indiana, from June 13-18, 1910.[14][15][16] Several aviators, including Orville and Wilbur Wright, participated in the event which drew thousands of spectators.[16] As aviation technology improved, it wasn't until the 1920s that several airfields opened throughout Indianapolis. The city's first public landing strip opened in July 1920 under the auspices of the Indianapolis Aerial Association; however, the strip was short-lived.[15] Successive airfields included Crawford Field (1922),[15] Schoen Field (1922),[17] Cox Field (later renamed Stout Field) (1926),[18] Hoosier Airport (1927),[19] and Capitol Airways Airport (1928).[20] Cox Field was the city's first municipal airport, serving as the site of Indianapolis's first regularly scheduled commercial flight, on December 17, 1927.[21] Indianapolis Municipal Airport was dedicated on September 25, 1931, on the present-day site of Indianapolis International Airport,[18] about 2 miles (3.2 km) west of Cox Field. On March 28, 1944, the airport was renamed Weir Cook Municipal Airport, commemorating Harvey Weir Cook.[15]

Like most American cities following World War II, Indianapolis's electric streetcar ridership declined as personal automobile ownership became increasingly attainable. In 1952, more than 400 public transit vehicles traveled more than 43,000 miles daily, carrying 72 million passengers annually. The city's last streetcar was decommissioned in January 1953, replaced by trackless trolleys and motor buses.[8]

Bureau of Public Roads (precursor to the Federal Highway Administration) 1955 route map of proposed Interstate Highway System in Indianapolis

With the passage of the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956, major construction of the Interstate Highway System began locally in 1959 on the Interstate 465 beltway. The beltway was completed on October 5, 1970.[22] Segments of Interstates 65, 69, 70, and 74 in Indianapolis were largely completed by the mid-1970s. Interstate 165 is the only planned Interstate highway never built in the city. I-165 was originally planned as a 2.7-mile-long (4.3 km) spur route between I-65 and 38th Street on the near northside of Indianapolis. The highway was withdrawn from the Interstate System on July 30, 1981.[23]

In 1961, the Indiana General Assembly approved legislation allowing for the creation of a local administrative body to oversee air transportation throughout the region. In 1962, the Indianapolis Airport Authority was established as a municipal corporation of the City of Indianapolis to serve this role.[24] Numerous expansions have occurred since Indianapolis International Airport opened in 1931, the most recent completed in 2008 at a cost of US$1.1 billion. The 1.2-million-square-foot (110,000 m2) midfield Colonel H. Weir Cook Terminal opened on November 11, 2008. Completion of the terminal was preceded by a new FAA Air Traffic Control Tower and Terminal Radar Approach Control building in April 2006.

Indianapolis was home to the first electric carsharing service in the U.S., Bolloré Bluecar's BlueIndy. Operations launched in September 2015 and ceased in May 2020.[25][26] At the height of service, BlueIndy provided 200 electric cars and 92 charging stations throughout the city.[27]

Aviation[]

Indianapolis International Airport[]

Passenger flight departing Indianapolis International Airport

Indianapolis International Airport, identified as IND, is the largest airport in Indiana and serves the Indianapolis Metropolitan Area. A new midfield terminal was built in 2008, with 40 gates and two concourses. There are also future plans for a third parallel runway south of I-70.

Other aviation facilities[]

In addition to Indianapolis International Airport, the Indianapolis Airport Authority manages five aviation facilities across the region.

Indianapolis Executive Airport, located about 5 miles (8 km) north of Zionsville in Boone County, is owned by the Hamilton County Airport Authority and managed under the guidance of its Board of Directors.

Cargo operations[]

FedEx Express, a cargo airline, operates its national hub out of IND and is its second largest hub behind only its Superhub in Memphis. FedEx has continued expanding the hub along Interstate 70, which has created additional ramp space for more wide-body aircraft and facilitated more direct flights between IND to FedEx hubs in Europe and Asia.

Cargolux, which flies to Chicago O'Hare, Los Angeles, and Luxembourg, also operates out of IND.

Highways[]

Interstate highways[]

Motor vehicle traffic on Interstate 65/70 near downtown Indianapolis

Several interstates serve the Indianapolis area:

U.S. highways[]

State roads[]

Among urbanized areas with 1,000,000 population or greater in the United States, Indianapolis ranked tenth in freeway lane miles per 1,000 population and eighth in freeway-equivalent miles per 1,000 population, according to 1999 data.[28]

Mass transit[]

An IndyGo battery electric bus approaching a Red Line station

The Indianapolis Public Transportation Corporation, known locally as IndyGo, provides public transportation for the city. IndyGo was established in 1975 after the city of Indianapolis took over privately owned Indianapolis Transit Systems, Inc. Prior to 1997, IndyGo was called Metro. Central Indiana Commuter Services (CICS), funded by IndyGo to reduce pollution, serves Indianapolis and surrounding counties.

Historically, Indianapolis had an extensive network of streetcar routes. In 1953, the last streetcars ran in the city. Trolleybuses made their last run in the city four years later in 1957, leaving the city with an all-bus transit system. The Downtown Indianapolis Streetcar Corp., a not-for-profit organization, is investigating the feasibility of a streetcar line to serve various downtown destinations.[29]

A report prepared by Purdue University indicated that buses running on a fuel containing 10 percent biodiesel are likely to help Indianapolis mass transit reduce pollution without compromising fuel economy. The report also suggests introducing more hybrid diesel-electric buses and a fuel containing 20 percent biodiesel (BD20) would further reduce emissions and petroleum consumption.[30]

IndyGo's Red Line is a bus rapid transit line running from Broad Ripple Village on the north side to the University of Indianapolis and Greenwood Park Mall on the south side. Construction started in May 2018 and the line opened for service on September 1, 2019, using all electric buses.[31] It is part of a larger plan known as the Marion County Transit plan.[32]

New generation streetcars[]

Some locals have advocated for city-support to develop a streetcar line, specifically linking downtown to White River State Park.[33]

People mover[]

Main article: Indiana University Health People Mover

The Indiana University Health People Mover formerly linked the Indiana University School of Medicine with the medical centers of University Hospital, Riley Hospital for Children, Methodist Hospital, and related facilities on the campus of Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI). It was shut down in February 2019. The people mover was sometimes inaccurately described as a monorail, but in fact, rode on dual concrete beams with the guideway as wide as the vehicle.

Intercity transportation[]

Greyhound terminal at Indianapolis Union Station

Amtrak, the national passenger rail system, provides service to Indianapolis at the Indianapolis Union Station. Amtrak provides the tri-weekly service of the Cardinal to Chicago, New York City, and Washington, D.C. The Hoosier State provided service to Chicago on days the Cardinal does not operate. That service stopped on June 30, 2019, because funding for the service was not included in the state’s 2019–2020 budget.

Greyhound Lines operates a bus terminal at Union Station downtown and at Indianapolis International Airport's Ground Transportation Center.[34] Megabus also runs from downtown Indianapolis, stopping on North Alabama Street adjacent to the Indianapolis City Market.[35]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ a b "Thrive Indianapolis Annual Report 2020" (PDF). City of Indianapolis Office of Sustainability. Retrieved April 22, 2021.
  2. ^ "Indy Moves Transportation Integration Plan" (PDF). Metropolitan Development Commission of Marion County, Indiana. Retrieved November 26, 2019.
  3. ^ May, Ethan (July 2, 2019). "Scooters in Indianapolis: How they have changed the city". The Indianapolis Star. Retrieved June 11, 2019.
  4. ^ a b Baer, p. 11, and Hyman, p. 34.
  5. ^ Brown, p. 20, and Edward A. Leary (1971). Indianapolis: The Story of a City. Indianapolis: Bobbs-Merrill. p. 35.
  6. ^ "Indianapolis, IN (IND) | Great American Stations". Amtrak. Retrieved July 17, 2021.
  7. ^ Bodenhamer and Barrows, p. 1480; Brown, pp. 34 and 52–53; Hale, p. 21; and Indianapolis, A Walk Through Time, p. 13.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g Bodenhamer, David; Barrows, Robert, eds. (1994). The Encyclopedia of Indianapolis. Bloomington & Indianapolis: Indiana University Press. pp. 189–198.
  9. ^ Darbee, Jeffrey (2017). Indianapolis Union and Belt Railroads. Indiana University Press. pp. 54–55. ISBN 9780253029508. Retrieved July 17, 2021.
  10. ^ Brown, p. 50.
  11. ^ Sulgrove, pp. 134, 424–26.
  12. ^ Hale, p. 54.
  13. ^ "Union Station: Once-bustling railroad station is one of Indianapolis' most cherished landmarks". Indianapolis Star. April 25, 2011.
  14. ^ "Development of the Hoosier Capital from a Stage Coach Station to One of the Country's Greatest Motoring and Aviation Centers". The Indianapolis News. June 11, 1910. p. 15. Retrieved July 18, 2021.
  15. ^ a b c d Marlette, Jerry, ed. (1994). The Encyclopedia of Indianapolis. Bloomington & Indianapolis: Indiana University Press. pp. 279–282, 787.
  16. ^ a b Dill, Mark (June 17, 2020). "Brickyard's prestige soared after Wright Brothers' flights in 1910". Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Retrieved July 18, 2021.
  17. ^ Bob Masters (September 25, 1976). "The 'Great Flying Center' That Might Have Been". The Indianapolis Star. p. 36–37. Retrieved July 18, 2021.
  18. ^ a b Fischer, Robert, ed. (1994). The Encyclopedia of Indianapolis. Bloomington & Indianapolis: Indiana University Press. pp. 1301–1302.
  19. ^ "Robert Shank Dies; Pioneer in Aviation". The Indianapolis Star. April 13, 1968. p. 1. Retrieved July 18, 2021.
  20. ^ "Great growth in aviation is expected by airport head". The Indianapolis News. November 15, 1929. p. 25. Retrieved July 18, 2021.
  21. ^ Nelson Price (December 12, 1997). "Mail airplane put its stamp on city history". The Indianapolis Star. p. C19–20. Retrieved July 18, 2021.
  22. ^ Ripple, David Alan. "History of the Interstate System in Indiana", Purdue University, 1975.[full citation needed]
  23. ^ Weingroff, Richard (October 15, 2013). "Part V, Interstate Withdrawal-Substitution Program: Interstate Withdrawal-Substitution Program Legislative History and Related Information". The Dwight D. Eisenhower System of Interstate and Defense Highways. Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved February 3, 2015.
  24. ^ Michelle, Hale, ed. (1994). The Encyclopedia of Indianapolis. Bloomington & Indianapolis: Indiana University Press. p. 765.
  25. ^ Hwang, Kellie (February 12, 2020). "BlueIndy: Experts weigh in on why the car-sharing service didn't work". The Indianapolis Star. Retrieved May 23, 2020.
  26. ^ Briggs, James (August 8, 2017). "After a rocky start, BlueIndy is making peace and winning over customers". The Indianapolis Star. Retrieved August 21, 2019.
  27. ^ Colombo, Hayleigh (August 2, 2019). "Four years in, Blue Indy car-sharing service still stuck in red". Indianapolis Business Journal. Retrieved August 3, 2019.
  28. ^ "Highway & Motorway Fact Book: Index". www.publicpurpose.com. Retrieved June 8, 2019.
  29. ^ "IBJ.com Story Detail". Ibj.com. Retrieved November 6, 2008.
  30. ^ "Emerging Energy News: Purdue: Biodiesel cuts carbon emission from buses". Energycurrent.com. Archived from the original on September 22, 2008. Retrieved November 6, 2008.
  31. ^ "Project Overview". IndyGo Red Line. Retrieved June 8, 2019.
  32. ^ "Transit Plan | Better Bus Service Keeps Coming". IndyGo. Retrieved June 8, 2019.
  33. ^ O'Malley, Chris (August 27, 2011). "Backer seek support for 2-mile streetcar line downtown". Indianapolis Business Journal. Retrieved February 7, 2016.
  34. ^ "Bus stations in Indianapolis, IN | Greyhound". Greyhound. Retrieved June 8, 2019.
  35. ^ "Bus Stops | megabus". us.megabus.com. Retrieved June 8, 2019.

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