Indiana wants to start tolling Interstate 70 to fund widening and improvement projects.

Why it matters: Tolling would most likely drive some amount of traffic off the interstate, which cuts through the center of Indianapolis, and onto the city's already crumbling streets.

Driving the news: The state's application to the federal government for the tolling program proposes charging $15.60 to drive a car across the state on I-70 starting in 2029.

• The widening and repair projects would cost an estimated $6.5 billion with inflation, funded by bonds and toll revenue.

What they're saying: The city told Axios it's too soon to start thinking about the potential impact.

Yes, but: An earlier tolling study gives us some idea of what it could look like.

How it works: In general, as toll rates increase, toll revenue and traffic diversion increase too.

• Traffic diversion is when drivers seek alternate routes to avoid a toll. For example, local drivers who would have hopped on I-70 to get across town may instead take (free) city streets.

Zoom in: The state's tolling application references a 2018 traffic study, which projected a diversion rate up to 8.9%.

• With annual average daily traffic ranging from 21,000 to 140,000, a very rough estimate is an extra 2,000 to 12,500 cars would be on city streets any given day.

What's next: The state is awaiting a response from the Federal Highway Administration, which manages the pilot program the state has applied to.

• Traffic impacts related to tolling will be further explored if and when the application is approved, according to the Indiana Department of Transportation.

Companies in downtown Indianapolis and other major U.S. cities don't require as much office space these days.

Why it matters: The pandemic triggered a fundamental shift in how people work. But some parts of our metro are bucking the trend.

The latest: National vacancy rates hit a record high in the first three months of the year, per data Moody's shared exclusively with Axios.

By the numbers: 21% of the office space across 79 markets in the U.S., mostly cities, was vacant in the first quarter — up from 17% in 2020.

• Even after a strong push by employers for employees to return to the office, workers spend about a quarter of their workdays away from the office — compared to 7% in January 2020.

Zoom in: After adding 244,000 square feet of occupancy to close out 2025, Indianapolis' central business district lost 203,000 square feet in the first three months of 2026, per JLL.

• Most of that loss came from IU Health vacating its office space at Landmark Center as services are consolidated to the new medical campus being built along 16th Street.

Yes, but: The Indy suburbs had a very different quarter, posting 357,000 square feet of occupancy growth.

• That's more than the suburbs added in all of 2025 and marks the strongest single quarter of growth since 2018.

What's next: Mike Cagna, senior research manager for JLL, said downtown should see gains soon as the city's embrace of office conversions continues.

• "This quarter, work began to convert the top seven floors of Capital Center South Tower into a Moxy Hotel by Marriott. Later this year, Circle Tower will undergo a similar conversion to an AC by Marriott," he said in a statement.
• "These two conversions will remove nearly 200,000 square feet of vacant office space from the market."

Go deeper

🏈 Despite being the projected No. 1 overall pick, former Indiana University quarterback Fernando Mendoza is skipping this month's NFL Draft in Pittsburgh to experience it with his family in Miami. (WISH-TV)

💸 The Indiana Department of Revenue has set a tax amnesty period for July 15-Sept. 15, giving Hoosiers with overdue state taxes a chance to pay overdue taxes without penalties for the first time in more than a decade. (Indiana Capital Chronicle)

📺 New WRTV owner Circle City Broadcasting has announced that the station's expanded morning news show "AM LIVE" will debut May 4 with anchors Karen Campbell and Marlee Thomas, meteorologist Tara Hastings and reporter Alan Selph. (IBJ)

📚 The Indianapolis Public Library will add Sunday hours for its Pike and Franklin Road branches starting this weekend. (FOX59)

🛻 The 2026 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 RST has been named the official "Festival Event Vehicle" of the 110th Indianapolis 500. A fleet of 37 customized trucks will travel throughout the state to welcome the best month ever. (WRTV)

🐾 Boston here!

I'm a certified good boy who just wants to be part of your world.

De-tails: I'm 7 years old and 70 pounds.

• I'm a full-fledged cuddle bug who loves belly rubs and stuffed toys.
• And I'm super smart! I've got "sit," "shake" and "stay" down pat.
• Plus, I'm easygoing around other dogs.

What they're barking: "Boston is the kind of dog who reminds you what joy really looks like," the folks at IACS say. "From the moment you meet him, he's loose, wiggly and fully invested in making friends."

• "Boston isn't just a good dog," they said. "He's the kind of dog who makes your days better simply by being in them."

Dig deeper: Fill out an application for Boston and see other adoptable pets online.

• Adoptions are free and come with 30 days of support.

Indy Arts Council's largest public program is back for another celebration of Black creativity.

Why it matters: For the past 30 years, Art & Soul has given local creators of color the opportunity to share their talent with the entire city.

Driving the news: Art & Soul Sundays — a free, monthly concert series highlighting this year's featured artists — returns to the Indianapolis Artsgarden this weekend with a performance from 2012 headliner Tony Styxx.

• Art & Soul's class of 2026 was selected from a pool of more than 60 artists and will take center stage from May through August.

Meet the artists