Red Line (IndyGo)
{{short description|Bus rapid transit line in Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S.}}
{{More citations needed|date=September 2019}}
{{Infobox bus line
|number = IndyGo Red Line
|bgcolor = #ED1B2E
|titlecolor = #ffffff
|logo =
|logo_width =
|image = IndyGo Red Line BRT.jpg
|image_width =
|caption = Northbound IndyGo BYD battery electric bus at Statehouse Station
|system = IndyGo Rapid
|status = Operational
|locale = Indianapolis, Indiana
|start = 66th Street & College Avenue station, north of Broad Ripple
|via = Julia M. Carson Transit Center in Downtown Indianapolis
|end = University station (Campus Drive & Shelby Street)
|stations = 28
|open = September 1, 2019
|routes =
|length = {{convert|21.1|km|mi|abbr=on}}
|routetype = Bus rapid transit
|ridership = 1,097,011 (2023){{cite web |title=2023 Annual Agency Profile - Indianapolis and Marion County Public Transportation (NTD ID 50050)|url=https://www.transit.dot.gov/sites/fta.dot.gov/files/transit_agency_profile_doc/2023/50050.pdf|work=National Transit Database |publisher=Federal Transit Administration|accessdate=April 16, 2025}}
|operator = Indianapolis Public Transportation Corporation
|operatorlogo =
|oplogo_width = 150px
|garage = IndyGo Headquarters
1501 W. Washington Street
|vehicle = BYD K11 (60-foot articulated battery-powered electric transit bus)
|box_width = 300px
|map = {{IndyGo Red Line}}
|}}
The Red Line of IndyGo is a bus rapid transit line serving parts of central, northern, and southern Indianapolis. The first phase of this transit route entered service on September 1, 2019, and was originally free for the first month; the free service was extended to the second and third months due to problems with the fare collection system.{{cite web |title=Indygo's Red Line will now be free through the end of November|url=https://www.ibj.com/articles/rides-on-indygos-red-line-will-now-be-free-through-the-end-of-november}} The Red Line links Broad Ripple to the University of Indianapolis via Downtown Indianapolis.{{cite web |title=Project Overview:Construction:Red Line Acceleration |url=https://www.indygored.com/construction/ |website=IndyGoRed.com |accessdate=May 12, 2019}}
History
File:Fountain Square, Indianapolis (IndyGo stop).jpg in July 2019.]]
On May 31, 2018, IndyGo began construction of the Red Line, the city's first Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line. The first phase of the system opened on September 1, 2019, after about 15 months of construction and testing. The $96.3 million project included a $75 million grant from the Federal Transit Administration.{{cite news|last=Briggs|first=James|title=Indianapolis Red Line project gets $75 million despite Trump's opposition|url=https://www.indystar.com/story/news/local/marion-county/2018/05/04/indianapolis-red-line-project-trump/580704002/|accessdate=July 21, 2018|work=The Indianapolis Star|date=May 4, 2018}} Two additional BRT lines (Purple Line and Blue Line) are presently planned, along with proposed extensions on both ends of the Red Line.{{citation|title= Red Line – Detailed Information|url=https://www.indygo.net/red-line-detailed-information/|accessdate=January 6, 2023|work=IndyGo}} The Red Line has been assigned IndyGo Route #90.
Features of the Red Line include level boarding, dedicated bus lanes, and doors on both sides.
The Red Line serves Marion County with eventual service extensions planned to County Line Road/Madison Avenue at the southern boundary with Johnson County and a still undetermined alignment to the northern boundary with Hamilton County. A Johnson County extension to Smith Valley Road in Greenwood has been approved with early design work funded. A Hamilton County extension to Grand Park in Westfield has been proposed with early design work funded.Ibid.
At introduction, every second BRT vehicle continued along the then proposed route of the Red Line beyond the completed BRT stations as "Route 90 - Red Line Local." This local line stopped at traditional bus stops to continue service to the northern and southern boundaries of Marion County. Due to traffic issues and low ridership, IndyGo discontinued this service.{{cite web|url=https://www.indystar.com/story/news/local/transportation/2020/01/16/red-line-extension-indygo-route-90-96th-street-route-change/4487944002/ |title=Why the Red Line extension no longer goes to 96th Street |website=Indianapolis Star |first=Kellie |last=Hwang }} Since then, northbound service terminates at the 66th/College station and southbound service terminates at the University (Campus/Shelby) station. Dedicated local routes now provide supplementary service with Route 901 traveling as far north as 91st Street and Route 902 traveling as far south as County Line Road.{{citation|title= Routes 901, 90, and 902 Map Effective October 9, 2022|url=https://www.indygo.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/route90red_2210_web.pdf/|accessdate=January 6, 2023|work=IndyGo}}
Due to Red Line buses failing to meet contractually obligated mileage ranges, bus manufacturer BYD paid for them to be retrofitted with inductive charging plates. These plates enable inductive charging of the buses en route to reduce service disruption. One inductive charging station was installed near the 66th/College station, another was planned near Madison Ave/County Line Rd, and a third planned near Ivy Tech Community College – Lawrence Campus.{{citation|title= IndyGo Implements Inductive Charging Along the Red Line to Charge Buses En Route|url=https://www.indygo.net/indygo-implements-inductive-charging-along-the-red-line-to-charge-buses-en-route/|accessdate=January 6, 2023|work=IndyGo}}
On the morning of April 24, 2024, a Red Line bus on 38th street caught on fire. All four people got off the bus with only two having slight injures. Police arrested a 45-year old man and preliminarily charged him with two counts of arson. IndyGo estimated the total damages to the bus and station at $2 million.{{Cite news |last=Thomas |first=Jade |date=April 24, 2024 |title=IndyGo bus fire at 38th and Meridian ends in arson arrest |url=https://www.indystar.com/story/news/local/2024/04/24/indy-go-bus-fire-at-38th-and-meridian-leads-to-arson-investigation-injuries/73436559007/ |access-date=April 25, 2024 |work=IndyStar}}{{Cite web |last=Gay |first=David |date=April 24, 2024 |title=1 arrested after IndyGo Red Line bus reportedly set on fire at near northside bus station |url=https://fox59.com/indiana-news/indygo-red-line-bus-caught-fire-at-near-northside-bus-station/ |access-date=April 25, 2024 |website=Fox 59}}
Station listing
There are at present 28 stations on the Red Line, of which 13 are shared with the Purple Line (Route 92).
| class="wikitable"
! colspan="1" |Station ! rowspan="1" |Type ! rowspan="1" |Opened ! rowspan="1" |Neighborhood(s) ! rowspan="1" |Connections ! rowspan="1" |Notes |
| 66th Street
|Curbside (NB only) |rowspan="19" |September 1, 2019 |rowspan="2" |Broad Ripple |Route 82 |North terminus of Phase 1; wireless vehicle charging site; NB vehicles terminating use protected signal at 66th Street to make U-turn to SB College via Old College Avenue |
| Broad Ripple
|rowspan="6" |Center Island |Routes 19, 82 |south of Broad Ripple Avenue |
| Kessler
|rowspan="5" |Meridian–Kessler | |south of Kessler Boulevard East Drive |
| 54th Street
| |at Bungalow Court, north of 54th Street |
| 52nd Street
| |mid-block, between 51st and 52nd streets |
| 46th Street
|Route 19 |south of 46th Street |
| 42nd Street
| |north of 42nd Street |
| Park
|Median Station |Meridian–Kessler, Mapleton–Fall Creek |Routes 2, 4, 38, 92 |Purple Line WB converges/EB diverges with the Red Line at College Avenue and 38th Street |
| Meridian/38th
|rowspan="11" |Center Island |rowspan="4" | Mapleton–Fall Creek, Crown Hill |Routes 38, 92 |south of 38th Street |
| 34th Street
|Route 92 |north of 34th Street |
| 30th/Museum
|Routes 30, 92 |north of 30th Street; |
| Fall Creek/Ivy Tech
|Route 92 |north of Fall Creek Parkway North Drive; |
| 22nd Street
|rowspan="4" |Near Northside |Route 92 |south of 22nd Street |
| 18th Street
|Route 92 |north of 18th Street |
| IU Health
|Route 92 |south of 18th Street; |
| 14th Street
|Route 92 |north of 14th Street |
| 9th Street
|rowspan="6" |Downtown |Route 92 |south of 9th Street at Arch Street |
| Vermont
|Routes 3, 6, 10, 15, 34, 37, 92 |north of Vermont Street |
| Statehouse
|Routes 8, 24, 92 |south of Court Street, north of Washington Street; |
| Julia M. Carson Transit Center
|Transit Center Bay |June 26, 2016 |Routes 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 11, 13, 15, 16, 19, 21, 24, 25, 26, 28, 31, 34, 37, 38, 56, 92 |NB Bay "G"; SB Bay "L", Purple Line Bay "D" |
| New Jersey
|rowspan="7" |Curbside (NB, SB) |rowspan="8" |September 1, 2019 |Routes 13, 26, 56 |southeast of New Jersey Street |
| Fletcher Place
|Route 26 |northwest of Merrill Street |
| Fountain Square
|Route 26 |northwest of Woodlawn Avenue |
| Pleasant Run
|Near Southside | |between Pleasant Run Parkway South Drive and Iowa Street |
| Raymond
|Near Southside, Garfield Park |Route 13 |north of Raymond Street (NB); south of Raymond (SB) |
| Garfield Park
|Garfield Park | |north of Southern Avenue (SB); south of Southern (NB); |
| Troy
|Garfield Park, University Heights |Route 16 |north of Troy Avenue (NB); south of Troy (SB) |
| University
|Center Island |University Heights |Routes 29, 31 |South terminus of Phase 1; SB vehicles terminating discharge passengers, then use Shelby, Mills, Madison, and Hanna to return to NB Shelby; |
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.indygo.net/red-line/ IndyGo Red Line home page]
{{ccat}}
{{Indiana public transit}}
{{USBRT}}
Category:Transportation in Indianapolis
Category:Bus rapid transit in Indiana