Dedicated lanes are for buses only along the Red Line bus line, as seen on Capitol Avenue, Aug. 5, 2019.
Kelly Wilkinson/IndyStar (TNS)
On Monday, IndyGo presented details about upgrading some of its busiest downtown bus stops.
The project, called "Super Stops," will kick off with a first phase in early 2021. Delaware Street will receive the first two improved stops.
The Indianapolis Department of Public Works will pitch in on the first phase, rebuilding the north/south downtown street as crews construct the new stops.
Super Stops: Improved bus stops coming to downtown
A section of Fort Wayne Avenue will also receive work during the project: The street will be converted to two-way between Delaware and Alabama streets.
Here's what you should know about the project:
What will the new stops feature?
While they will not serve the Red Line, the new stops will include features similar to those on the bus rapid transit line.
IndyGo says the downtown stops will have:
Raised platforms about 9-feet high to make it easier to step on buses; Shelters about 20-feet long and 5-feet deep with solar lighting; Ticketing machines; Real-time information screens; Security cameras; Room for two buses on the 90-foot-long platform.
Where will the improved stops be?
The first two stops are coming to Delaware Street, which IndyGo Project Development Planner Austin Gibble said already needed infrastructure work.
One will be just north of New York Street, near Mass Ave. The other will be at North Street.
The new stops will serve the following routes:
New York and Delaware stop: Routes 2, 4, 5, 10, 38 and 19; Delaware and North stop: Routes 2, 4, 5, 10, and 19.
Why is Fort Wayne Avenue changing?
Crews will convert Fort Wayne Avenue from one-way to two-ways between Delaware and Alabama streets. Crews will also resurface and restripe the street.
Gibble said the change will eliminate two difficult turns for buses.
Fort Wayne Avenue will eventually be converted to a two-way street between Delaware and Pennsylvania streets too, though it will be a separate project at a later date.
What is a bus-and-turn lane?
The red paint that runs along the Red Line is now coming to Delaware Street.
The right-hand travel lane will be painted red and be accessible only to buses up until 50 feet before intersections. At that point, the paint will become dashed and regular vehicles will be able to enter it to make right turns.
The lane will run the length of Delaware from Maryland Street to Fort Wayne Avenue.
Gibble said the lane already has heavy bus traffic, so the changes will improve speed and reliability.
How will this affect traffic?
Construction on Delaware Street will take place one half at a time, so the other half will remain open.
Parking will be banned on Delaware Street during construction because vehicles will travel on parking lanes.
The Department of Public Works will rebuild the street, going down to the dirt and tearing out streetcar tracks that are under the pavement.
During the construction on Fort Wayne Avenue, traffic will be detoured down Alabama Street and over to North Street.
When will the stops open?
Construction is expected to begin sometime in the first three months of 2021, depending on weather.
Planners expect it to be mostly completed by the end of October and completely finished by the end of the year.
Six other improved stops are planned, though IndyGo officials declined to provide a timeline due to funding questions.
What about the new fare system?
While plans call for fare machines at the new stops, it's unclear whether IndyGo's new fare system will be fully operational when construction is completed.
MyKey is an account-based fare system that lets riders purchase digital cards for free then refill them. Its initial launch date was supposed to be Oct. 1, 2019, shortly after the Red Line's launch.
Spokesperson Faith Chadwick said IndyGo will start testing and upgrading ticket vending machines at Red Line stations in the new year. Board documents say staff anticipate it to begin operations between April and June of 2021.
Last week IndyGo announced educational events for the system.
How much will this cost?
The total cost will be about $3.5 million.
IndyGo is splitting the reconstruction costs with the Department of Public Works and footing the whole bill for the new bus infrastructure.
Contact IndyStar transportation reporter Ethan May at emay@indystar.com or 317-402-1058. Follow him on Twitter: @EthanMayJ.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: How new 'Super Stops' will affect drivers and bus riders
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