IndyGo has secured an $81 million federal grant, enabling it to move forward with construction on the planned Purple Line running to the City of Lawrence, which is expected to be operational by 2024.
The new funding comes from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Small Starts Capital Investment Grant and represents about half of the total cost of the proposed Purple Line Bus Rapid Transit (BRT).
“This award means we can finally put years of planning into action for the second BRT line,” said Inez Evans, IndyGo president and CEO, in the announcement. Evans said ridership on existing routes between Indianapolis and Lawrence already represents IndyGo’s highest ridership and most productive routes.
Similar to the existing Red Line BRT service between Broad Ripple and Downtown, the Purple Line will provide more frequent and efficient service, level boarding, enhanced stations with real-time signage, ticket vending machines for seamless fare purchases and the ability for fare capping with MyKey.
The remaining funds needed for the $162 million project are to be covered by a combination of local funding from the approved transit income tax, the City of Indianapolis Department of Public Works, and other FTA and Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) sources.
According to the FTA’s announcement of the grant, the Purple Line project includes 9.9 miles of new, exclusive bus lanes, 18 new stations and the purchase of 15 60-foot electric buses and installation of transit signal priority at 30 signalized intersections along the route. The service plan includes operation along a 5.3-mile portion of the existing Red Line BRT alignment, with shared use of 13 existing stations.
With full funding now established, IndyGo can begin inviting contractors to bid on multiple aspects of the project. IndyGo plans to hold public meetings in January 2022 and expects to begin construction as early as February, with completion in 2024. The project is estimated to create approximately 1,850 jobs related to construction.
Learn more about the Purple Line project at www.indygo.net/purple-line.
