Indianapolis has an opportunity to make a generational investment in neighborhood roads and infrastructure. Today, mayoral candidate and City-County Councilor Vop Osili released his vision for funding improvements to Indianapolis roads, ensuring that, should the proposal become law, every dollar delivers impactful improvements residents can experience every day.
Indianapolis residents deserve more than a debate about infrastructure funding. They deserve a
clear plan for how that investment will strengthen neighborhoods and improve quality of life.
“When residents are being asked to pay more, they deserve to see meaningful results,” Osili
said. “And if this proposal becomes law, we must maximize every dollar so every corner and
district of our county sees safer streets, repaired sidewalks, and better infrastructure.”
Osili’s plan would leverage dedicated wheel tax revenue to bond up to $375 million across
Council districts, a first step in a new era of investments in our city’s streets, allowing
Indianapolis to accelerate long-overdue improvements in neighborhood infrastructure.
“This cannot be about patchwork fixes or temporary solutions,” Osili said. “We have an
opportunity to make a once-in-a-generation investment that addresses the scale of our road
problems, delivers projects faster, and gives residents assurance that their dollars are making a
real difference.”
The plan is built around four principles: transparency, accountability, neighborhood impact,
and data-driven decision making. Projects would be prioritized using infrastructure data,
public safety needs, neighborhood input, and long-term planning to ensure investments are
driven by need rather than politics.
Osili also called for the work to be completed by Indianapolis workers, with union labor and local
contractors helping rebuild the city’s infrastructure whenever possible.
“Rebuilding our streets must create opportunities for our skilled workers right here in
Indianapolis, ready to do this work,” Osili said. “Investing locally means we’re strengthening both
our infrastructure and our economy.”
Osili said the proposal represents an opportunity to think beyond road repairs and focus on the
future of Indianapolis neighborhoods.
“If the wheel tax is implemented, my focus is to move quickly to deliver residents with lasting
results,” Osili said. “If I have the privilege of serving as Mayor, I will ensure these dollars are
invested wisely, transparently, and fairly so every neighborhood benefits. Every resident
deserves quality streets, connected sidewalks, and infrastructure that we can rely on. This is our
opportunity to build stronger neighborhoods and leave Indianapolis better than we found it.”
