On Election Day 2016, the community took to the polls to let our voices be heard. And you know what we said? In a vote of 191,989 to 131,426, we said yes. Yes, we are willing to support an expanded transportation system in Marion County. Yes, we believe families in our community deserve to have buses come more frequently. Yes, we need to increase access to public transportation. We said yes, the time has come for us to provide a public transportation plan that will create access to jobs that are located on or near a bus line. We said yes, we care about our seniors and they deserve to have a transportation system that will serve them and keep them mobile and active. We said yes.
We are on the brink of making history in our community. Within the next several weeks, your Indianapolis City-County Council will make a decision that will impact the future of public transportation for generations to come. As we form our decision, we will hear from public transportation providers, families whose lives depend on public transportation and from people in our community who would prefer we do nothing and leave things as they are. Each audience will be passionate about their position and will work tirelessly to convince us that what they are proposing is the right decision for our community.
For decades, many of us have sat in the comfort of our cars and paid little to no attention to the deteriorating public transportation system in our city. We love our cars. But you know what? I would love to park my car somewhere and hop on a city bus and let them do the driving, but it’s not up to me. As members of your City-County Council, my colleagues and I have a responsibility to listen to what the community is saying and use your input to guide our decisions. That is our duty as public servants. With that said, how can we, in good conscience, drive past someone who is standing at a bus stop and ignore the fact that a 20-minute drive for us may possibly be a one-, two- or three-hour commute for them? How can we ask our community a question, hear the answer and then if the response is not what we want, make the decision to actively stand in the way of progress?
Harmonious discourse is a process our nation has grown accustomed to. It’s a part of our democracy. It’s what makes our city, state and nation so special. We agree to disagree and push hard to change the minds of the opposition. But in doing so, we must always remain focused on the end goal and always seek to find solutions that will work in the best interest of our constiuents. The same theory applies here. Transit works for everyone. We need a transit system that will elevate our community.
So, while you have let us know what you want, there is still work to be done. There are still opportunities to voice your opinion, and we want to hear from you. Mark your calendars now and make sure you attend one of these upcoming meetings:
Jan. 30, 7 p.m. Indianapolis City-County Council meeting
Location: City-County Building
Feb. 1, 5:30 p.m. Municipal Corporation meeting
Location: City-County Building
Feb. 13, 5:30 p.m. Metropolitan and Economic Development Committee meeting
Location: City-County Building
Feb. 21, 5:30 p.m. Rules and Public Policy hearing and vote
Location: International Marketplace District (stay tuned for address)
Feb. 27, 7 p.m. Indianapolis City-County Council meeting — final vote
Location: City-County Building
The time for transit is now. Imagine how access to education, health care, jobs and grocery stores — the list is endless — will change the lives of our residents if a bus stop is less then 10 minutes away. Imagine how the quality of life will improve for families when they have shorter wait times, increased frequency and can accept a job without worrying about if or when the bus will run, because every route will run every day.
Come to one of the upcoming meetings and let’s make history together. It’s our time, and it’s our responsibility.
Let’s move!
Maggie A. Lewis is president of the Indianapolis City-County Council.
