Indy installs bollards at high-risk Mass Ave intersection after fatal crash
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New bollards in place at College, Mass Ave and St. Clair. Photo: Arika Herron/Axios
The city has installed new bollards at the intersection of Massachusetts and North College avenues, two years after a deadly hit-and-run crash.
Why it matters: The intersection, at the heart of a busy street and booming pedestrian district, has been the focus of safe-street advocates for more than a year.
- The city told Axios that more safety changes are coming this summer.
Driving the news: The new bollards were installed this month at the site of a November Safe Streets protest that urged city leaders to do more and move faster to protect pedestrians on the popular Cultural Trail where it passes through the busy six-way intersection.
- The city's Vision Zero project labels the area as a high-risk, high-injury network —streets with the most ongoing safety issues.
- The project also received numerous complaints about the intersection during its public input phase, which Axios reviewed.
What they're saying: Public commenters described the intersection as "incredibly dangerous" and called for more permanent protections than the temporary barriers that have been in place for more than a year.
- "Pedestrians need protection from drivers, especially those driving south on College," one person wrote. "This is one of the densest pedestrian areas in the city and one that has had fatalities for not having common-sense bollards."
Flashback: The intersection was the site of a March 2024 hit-and-run that killed Brandon Breedlove, a 27-year-old Indianapolis man and U.S. Air Force veteran, and injured two other pedestrians.
The big picture: The move is a win for advocates who have criticized the city for dragging its feet in addressing a growing pedestrian safety crisis.
- Pedestrians and cyclists have represented nearly 40% of fatal crash victims over the past five years, despite accounting for less than 5% of road users.
- Indianapolis Vision Zero aims to achieve zero traffic deaths and serious injuries by 2035 by rethinking how Indy streets are used, shared and designed.
What's next: More safety upgrades.
- "We intend to install permanent bollards at the intersection … and shift southbound traffic away from the Cultural Trail pedestrian plaza," Department of Public Works spokesperson Kyle Bloyd told Axios. "We also plan to calm traffic on College Avenue to the north of the intersection."