Central Indiana residents want more transit options

Early feedback from Indy Connect, Central Indiana's transportation initiative, indicates public desire for more frequent, accessible and reliable bus service throughout Central Indiana, a light rail line with service between downtown Indianapolis and the Indianapolis International Airport, and commuter rail service that would extend north to Noblesville and other communities with multiple stops in Marion County for better inner-city connectivity.

This feedback is the result of nearly 70 public meetings and smaller briefings held in the months since Central Indiana residents got their first look at a draft regional transportation plan in February, as well as thousands of questionnaires collected at meetings and through the initiative's Website, www.indyconnect.org.

The draft plan includes enhanced and expanded bus service, roadway enhancements, and light and commuter rail-all of which are designed to work together to connect people to people and people to places throughout Central Indiana.

Comment collection will be ongoing throughout the summer, and new information could reveal additional trends and priorities in regards to what Central Indiana residents are looking for in a public transportation system. Planners will use this feedback to draft a revised plan, which will be released this fall and will initiate another round of public engagement.

Indy Connect, launched in February, is unprecedented in its geographic scope and community interaction. The rigorous public meeting schedule enabled transportation planners to speak one-on-one with thousands of citizens throughout the region. During this time, Indy Connect collected nearly 8,000 responses through online and paper questionnaires, phone calls, direct mail comment cards, and Facebook and Twitter comments.