Recently, Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard declared that “now is the time” for Central Indiana to develop a mass transit system.
Earlier this year, area mayors and civic leaders launched an unsuccessful effort to court enough support from state lawmakers for a mass transit overhaul. They are preparing to try again when the next session of the General Assembly begins in January.
“World-class cities provide their residents with world-class infrastructure that helps them achieve success,” Ballard said in a statement. “We can no longer accept being the 12th largest city in the country with a bus system that ranks 89th in the nation.”
Under the $1.3 billion Indy Connect Now plan, mass transit, or public transportation, would be expanded, with IndyGo bus service in Indianapolis being doubled. In addition, a new light rail system will be built on an existing line that goes from downtown to Fishers and Noblesville in Hamilton County.
Expansion would begin in 2014, with completion expected by 2022.
Currently, a broader Indy Connect Now coalition of elected officials, businesses, schools and neighborhood leaders has been formed to push the mass transit plan and gather support from residents, including those in the African-American community.
Impact on Black community
Should local African-Americans make sure their voices are heard in the debate for expanded public transportation? What kind of impact will it have on Black commuters, including those living in the inner city areas of Indianapolis and those who live in surrounding suburbs?
Prominent Black representatives with the Indy Connect Now coalition have been answering those questions.
Sam Odle, former chief operating officer for IU Health and an incoming Indianapolis Public Schools commissioner, believes the mass transit plan will help more people have access to the essential community and health services that they need. That can help address health disparities facing the Black community.
“Our region is home to some of the best health care providers in the world. But, if people are unable to access those facilities because they lack transportation, then we have failed those patients and our community,” Odle said.
Joe Slash, president of the Indianapolis Urban League, noted that with a high number of African-Americans still being unemployed (14 percent, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics) expanded public transportation would be very helpful in securing new jobs.
“We have often been successful in finding job opportunities for clients, but they can’t accept the job because there wasn’t enough transportation options for them to get to it,” Slash said.
Robin Shackleford, a newly elected member of the Indiana House of Representatives, believes mass transit should be a priority for Black elected officials and residents. When she takes office during the next legislative session, Shackleford will be representing the predominantly African-American District 98 on the near Eastside, where many residents have expressed an interest in improved public transportation.
“Looking at the bus line, we have a lot of African-Americans who utilize that system, and any upgrades made to it will have a vital impact on our community,” she said. “Many people not only use the bus line, but will also be excited about the rail system.”
Supporters of Indy Connect Now point to cities such as Charlotte, Minneapolis, Denver and Salt Lake City that have enjoyed economic growth and attracted new professionals after adopting mass transit systems.
They especially note Charlotte, which raked in $1.5 billion in revenue after constructing its new 10-mile light-rail line.
However, not everyone is jumping on the mass transit bandwagon. Opponents say it would be too expensive, draining scarce dollars from an overextended federal budget.
“Our local elected public servants too often seek to spend our hard-earned federal tax dollars on unnecessary nice-to-have local projects that do not address high-priority needs,” said Aaron Smith of Watchdog Indiana, a taxpayer advocacy organization.
He added his view that the rail service will not cover its estimated cost, and that mass transit is not needed in an area that has “low congestion” and is “not dense enough to need any high capacity public transit other than buses.”
IndyGo rider Eddie Parker supports the plan, but said changes in bus service must also be made and the concerns of commuters need to be heard.
“You can have a million buses, but it won’t make a difference if the process is not more convenient for riders,” said Parker, who commutes from downtown on Capitol Avenue to his job on the Northside near Keystone at the Crossing, a two-hour process. “Connecting times for the buses must match so that people aren’t waiting for their next bus for over an hour.”
What it will take
A referendum, or special election, will be needed for voters to decide if officials in Marion and Hamilton counties can increase income taxes by three-tenths of one percent for half the cost, with the rest being met by federal funding.
Similar referendums have been held recently to approve funding increases for Indianapolis Public Schools and new facilities for Wishard Hospital.
The Indiana Legislature must approve creation of a referendum. That could be a tough sell to Republicans who have solid control of the Legislature and are reluctant to endorse even small tax increases.
“We encourage state lawmakers to give Hoosiers the choice to decide how best to fund mass transit in their communities,” said Mark Miles, president and CEO of the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership and member of the Indy Connect Now coalition.
As the newest member of the Indiana Black Legislative Caucus (IBLC), Shackleford will be among African-American legislators encouraging the passage of a mass transit development bill.
“I think we need to be at the table as the discussion about mass transit takes place,” she said. “We want to make sure we will benefit from where some of those stops will be located and what kind of upgrades will be made because when you’re talking about mass transit, you’re talking about economic development.”
For more information, visit indyconnectnow.com.
