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Transportation in Indianapolis facts for kids

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Transportation in Indianapolis consists a complex network that includes a local public bus system, several private intercity bus providers, Amtrak passenger rail service, four freight rail lines, an Interstate Highway System, two airports, a heliport, bikeshare system, 115 miles (185 km) of bike lanes, and 110 miles (177 km) of trails and greenways. The city has also become known for its prevalence of electric scooters.

History

Indianapolis was founded on the White River under an incorrect assumption that it would serve as a major transportation artery, but the river proved difficult to navigate and too shallow during much of the year. After the steamboat Robert Hanna ran aground along the river in 1831, no steamboat successfully returned to Indianapolis. Flatboats continued to transport goods along a portion of the river until new dams impeded their ability to navigate its waters. The first major federally funded highway in the U.S., the National Road, reached Indianapolis in 1836, followed by the railroad in 1847. By 1850, eight railroads converged in the city, ending its isolation from the rest of the country and ushering in a new era of growth. Indianapolis Union Station opened in the Wholesale District on September 20, 1853 as the world's first union station. Citizen's Street and Railway Company was established in 1864, operating the city's first mule-drawn streetcar line. By 1890, electric-powered streetcars began running. Opened in 1904, the Indianapolis Traction Terminal was the largest interurban station in the world, handling 500 trains daily and 7 million passengers annually. Ultimately doomed by the automobile, the terminal closed in 1941, followed by the streetcar system in 1957.

Highways

Interstate Highways

Several interstates serve the Indianapolis area:

U.S. Highways

State roads

  • Indiana 37.svg State Road 37
  • Indiana 67.svg State Road 67
  • Indiana 134.svg State Road 134
  • Indiana 135.svg State Road 135
  • Indiana 431.svg State Road 431 (Former)

Mass transit

Downtown Indianapolis, 1907
The trolley lines on West Market Street facing the Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument in 1907.

The Indianapolis Public Transportation Corporation, known locally as IndyGo, provides public transportation for the city. IndyGo was established in 1975 after the city of Indianapolis took over privately owned Indianapolis Transit Systems, Inc. Prior to 1997, IndyGo was called Metro. Central Indiana Commuter Services (CICS), funded by IndyGo to reduce pollution, serves Indianapolis and surrounding counties.

Historically, Indianapolis had an extensive network of streetcar routes. In 1953, the last streetcars ran in the city. Trolleybuses made their last run in the city four years later in 1957, leaving the city with an all-bus transit system. The Downtown Indianapolis Streetcar Corp., a not-for-profit organization, is investigating the feasibility of a streetcar line to serve various downtown destinations.

A report prepared by Purdue University indicates that buses running on a fuel containing 10 percent biodiesel are likely to help Indianapolis mass transit reduce pollution without compromising fuel economy. The report also suggests introducing more hybrid diesel-electric buses and a fuel containing 20 percent biodiesel (BD20) would further reduce emissions and petroleum consumption.

IndyGo is in the process of planning for Phase 1 of the Red Line, a new bus rapid transit line running from Broad Ripple Village on the north side to the University of Indianapolis on the south side. This new line will provide more frequent service with fewer stops.

People mover

Clarian-people-mover-distance
The Indiana University Health People Mover in 2007.

The public-use Indiana University Health People Mover links the Indiana University School of Medicine with the medical centers of University Hospital, Riley Hospital for Children, Methodist Hospital, and related facilities on the campus of Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI). The people mover is sometimes inaccurately described as a monorail, but in fact rides on dual concrete beams with the guideway as wide as the vehicle.

Intercity transportation

Amtrak, the national passenger rail system, provides service to Indianapolis at the Indianapolis Union Station. Amtrak provides the tri-weekly service of the Cardinal to Chicago, New York City, and Washington, D.C. The Hoosier State provided service to Chicago on days the Cardinal does not operate. That service stopped on June 30, 2019, because funding for the service was not included in the state’s 2019–2020 budget.

Greyhound Lines operates a bus terminal at Union Station downtown and at Indianapolis International Airport's Ground Transportation Center. Megabus also runs from downtown Indianapolis, stopping on North Alabama Street adjacent to the Indianapolis City Market.

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