IndyGo wins federal grant for Washington Street
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Nearly five miles of Washington Street from the Near Eastside through Irvington will get upgraded, thanks to a nearly $22 million federal grant.
Why it matters: The road improvements, including lane reconfigurations, upgraded sidewalks and crossings and new traffic signals, are one piece of IndyGo's larger Blue Line bus rapid transit project.
- The nearly $400 million project, spanning from the Indianapolis International Airport on the city's west side to Cumberland on the east, will be the third in the public transit agency's comprehensive rapid-transit program.
Driving the news: The U.S. Department of Transportation announced the winners of its latest round of infrastructure funding grants Wednesday. A total of $1.8 billion was awarded for 148 projects nationwide.
- IndyGo received $21.9 million to improve safety and mobility along 4.7 miles of Washington Street, from Highland to Edmonson avenues.
The big picture: This stretch of Washington Street includes the intersection where a 7-year-old girl was killed while walking home from school with her mother in 2021, which spurred the Irvington community to lobby for traffic calming and safety measures.
- Another student was hit by a car yesterday along this same stretch of road, while trying to board her school bus.
- The 12-year-old girl was taken to the hospital in critical condition.
What they're saying: "It's a huge win and will go a long way toward getting the Blue Line across the finish line," Indy Department of Public Works director Brandon Herget said.
Zoom out: Over 1,000 project applications were received by the Biden administration's RAISE program.
- "These are community [projects]," said Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. "Many of them are longstanding dreams that would've happened except that they lacked federal support."
- Two other Hoosier projects received funding — a trail project in northern Indiana and traffic calming measures in Fort Wayne.
What's next: The work along Washington Street is expected to start next spring.
- Completion of the Blue Line is projected for 2027.