The New and “Improved” West Street
Posted by Joe Smoker in Bicycling, Neighborhoods, New Development, Pedestrian, Transit on Oct 1st, 2015 | 42 comments
It seems a distant memory when the City/IUPUI announced a partnership to reinvest in the Natatorium and to return West New York and West Michigan Streets back to two-way automobile traffic, with improved gateways, art, street furniture, lighting, medians and pedestrian crossings. Yes, this announcement gathered the usual concerns about what such a significant change would do to the mass of students and event participants that frequently, though for small fractions of each day, use these one-way arterials as mini expressways to the interstates. Regardless, these changes will create a more vibrant, safer...
New York/Michigan Street Protected Bike Lanes
Posted by Joe Smoker in Bicycling, Neighborhoods, New Development, Pedestrian on Feb 25th, 2015 | 28 comments
The City of Indianapolis has a brief, but rapidly expanding relationship with on-street bike lanes. From as little as a few total miles of bike lanes as recently as 2008 to over 100 miles in 2014. Through this process, the City has learned a great deal about the construction, maintenance and planning involved in creating a truly sustainable and connected system where users feel safe.
Recently, the City announced plans to rework some of the first bike lanes developed along East New York and East Michigan Street. Originally white painted lines adjacent to vehicle traffic lanes, these bike lanes have...
The City-County Building Plaza: Our Community’s Backyard
Posted by Joe Smoker in Neighborhoods on Oct 23rd, 2014 | 16 comments
Earlier this year, the City engaged a process to rethink the City-County Building (CCB) Plaza, located south of the CCB. Once home to the county courthouse, the plaza, developed alongside the shiny new home for local government, never managed to provide a great space for the public. Instead, the harsh materials, hostile green space, barricaded fountains and inaccessible pathways to the entrance of the CCB have created a barren environment and maintenance headache. On even the nicest of days, this space goes largely unused. It may serve forever as a memorial to design that was largely form-based, with...
Bikeshare Launch!
Posted by Joe Smoker in Bicycling, Neighborhoods, New Development on Apr 22nd, 2014 | 4 comments
Many of us have eagerly awaited the arrival of Indy’s own bikeshare program. Discussions have been going on for what seems like years (literally) and recently, we were finally given details for the stations and bikes.
Today, April 22, 2014, officially marks the launch date of the Indiana Pacers Bikeshare. I was a proud volunteer to help distribute hundreds of bikeshare bikes to their assigned stations in the hours leading up to the ribbon cutting at 10:00 am by Bankers Life Fieldhouse. It is official, you may rent a bike in Indianapolis! Details may be found in a previous post by Nathan Smurdon...
Welcome to ‘Market East’
Posted by Joe Smoker in Bicycling, Neighborhoods, New Development, Pedestrian, Transit on Apr 16th, 2014 | 10 comments
Today, the City, behind Mayor Greg Ballard, announced a new downtown district which represents the culmination of years of work and a number of recent project announcements. Roughly bounded to the north by New York Street, to the south by the railroad tracks, to the west by Delaware Street and to the east by, well, East Street, Market East will provide a unique setting among Indy’s existing cultural districts.
Unlike the existing cultural districts, Market East will feature a rare experience for Indy. The district will be among the largest collection of modern structures in downtown...
