State Plan to Expand a Downtown Indianapolis Intersection Meets Local Resistance

Susan Orr reports: "As the Indiana Department of Transportation moves forward with plans for a major construction project at the north split of interstates 65 and 70, a grass-roots coalition of residents with concerns about the project’s impact on surrounding neighborhoods is also gaining steam."

Orr reported the details of the project proposal in an article in September 2017, describing the project as a "complete makeover" of one of the busiest interchanges in the state. The project would "[add] lanes of traffic on both interstates; reconfiguring I-65 exit/entrance ramps along 11th and 12th streets; work on 32 existing bridges; and adding new bridges."

Indiana Department of Transportation

Fast forwarding back to January, Orr reports that Kevin Osburn, managing principal at urban planning and design firm Rundell Ernstberger Associates, is leading the local opposition to the project. A few days after the initial article on the opposition, Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett also announced his opposition to the state's plans for the intersection. A blog post by Kevin Kastner at Urban Indy also makes a passionate argument against the project, saying it would be a "devastating blow to downtown neighborhoods," and would undermine local transit investments underway through the Indy Connect plan.

Hat tip to Angie Schmitt to sharing the news.