Red Line (IndyGo)


The Red Line of IndyGo is a bus rapid transit line serving parts of central, northern, and southern Indianapolis. The first phase of this transit route entered service on September 1, 2019, and was originally free for the first month; the free service was extended to the second and third months due to problems with the fare collection system. The Red Line links Broad Ripple to the University of Indianapolis via Downtown Indianapolis. Local service continues beyond these endpoints with every other bus continuing on to the respective county lines at either end of Marion County as Route 90.

History

On May 31, 2018, the Indianapolis Public Transportation Corporation began construction of the Red Line, the city's first Bus Rapid Transit line. The first phase of the system opened on September 1, 2019, after about 15 months of construction and testing. Two additional BRT lines are presently planned, along with extensions on both ends of the Red Line. The Red Line has been assigned IndyGo Route #90.
Phase 2 will extend the line farther north, with approved phase 2A running from the end of phase 1 at 66th Street and College Avenue north to the county line at 96th Street. A yet-to-be approved phase 2B extension from there into Hamilton County would travel through suburban Carmel to Westfield, terminating the line in that city's Grand Park. Phase 3 will run from just north of Hanna Avenue on Shelby Street at the University station to Greenwood. Approved phase 3A will take the line to County Line Road South, and a yet-to-be approved phase 3B would continue south into Johnson County to a terminus near Madison Avenue and Smith Valley Road in Greenwood.
At introduction, every second BRT vehicle continues along the future route of the Red Line beyond the completed BRT stations as "Route 90 - Red Line Local", stopping at traditional bus stops along the remainder of both ends of the route in the county. The Red Line will be effectively be split into two separate, but co-branded routes. The first will run from 96th and College to Shelby and Campus, while the second will run from the Greenwood Park Mall to 66th/College station. Wireless charging sites have been installed at 96th Street & College Avenue and at the Greenwood Park Mall Park & Ride stop on County Line Road South to facilitate recharging of the buses as necessary. This is in addition to the recharging facilities previously announced at the 66th/College station and at the IndyGo Maintenance Facility on West Harding Street. Only BRT vehicles will use the stations, with the exception of six of those along Meridian Street and one on 38th Street. Route 39: East 38th Street buses will also share those seven station facilities, in anticipation of that route being eventually replaced by the proposed Purple Line BRT service.
Due to traffic issues and low ridership, IndyGo discontinued the 96th and College stop on the Red Line Local extension on December 20th. Since then, Route 90 has terminated at College Avenue and Lake Nora Drive, just south of 91st Street.

Station listing

There are at present 28 stations on the Red Line. All stations are served by all Red Line vehicles, but every other bus continues on beyond the last station to the county line as Route 90 - Red Line Local. Those that do not continue on to execute the turnaround procedure from the station as detailed in the Red Line operations manual.
StationTypeOpenedNotes
66th/CollegeCurbside September 1, 2019North terminus of Phase 1; wireless vehicle charging site;
NB vehicles terminating use protected signal at 66th Street
to make U-turn to SB College via Old College Avenue
Broad Ripple
Center IslandSeptember 1, 2019south of Broad Ripple Avenue
Kessler/CollegeCenter IslandSeptember 1, 2019south of Kessler Boulevard East Drive
54th/CollegeCenter IslandSeptember 1, 2019at Bungalow Court, north of 54th Street
52nd/CollegeCenter IslandSeptember 1, 2019mid-block, south of 54th Street
46th/CollegeCenter IslandSeptember 1, 2019south of 46th Street
42nd/CollegeCenter IslandSeptember 1, 2019north of 42nd Street
Park/38thMedian StationSeptember 1, 2019at Park Avenue; Purple Line will share
38th/MeridianCenter IslandSeptember 1, 2019south of 38th Street; Purple Line will share
34th/MeridianCenter IslandSeptember 1, 2019north of 34th Street; Purple Line will share
30th/Museum
Center IslandSeptember 1, 2019north of 30th Street; Purple Line will share
Fall Creek/Ivy Tech
Center IslandSeptember 1, 2019north of Fall Creek Parkway, North Drive;
Purple Line will share
22nd/MeridianCenter IslandSeptember 1, 2019south of 22nd Street; Purple Line will share
18th/MeridianCenter IslandSeptember 1, 2019north of 18th Street; Purple Line will share
IU Health Methodist Hospital
Center IslandSeptember 1, 2019south of 18th Street
14th/CapitolCenter IslandSeptember 1, 2019north of 14th Street
9th/CapitolCenter IslandSeptember 1, 2019south of 9th Street at Arch Street
Vermont/CapitolCenter IslandSeptember 1, 2019north of Vermont Street
Statehouse
Center IslandSeptember 1, 2019south of Court Street, north of Washington Street
Julia M. Carson Transit CenterTransit Center BaySeptember 1, 2019NB Bay "G"; SB Bay "L"
New Jersey/VirginiaCurbside September 1, 2019southeast of New Jersey Street
Fletcher Place
Curbside September 1, 2019northwest of Merrill Street
Fountain Square
Curbside September 1, 2019northwest of Woodlawn Avenue
Pleasant Run
Curbside September 1, 2019between Pleasant Run Parkway, South Drive and Iowa Street
Raymond/ShelbyCurbside September 1, 2019north of Raymond Street ; south of Raymond
Garfield Park
Curbside September 1, 2019north of Southern Avenue ; south of Southern
Troy/ShelbyCurbside September 1, 2019north of Troy Avenue ; south of Troy
University Center IslandSeptember 1, 2019South terminus of Phase 1; SB vehicles terminating
discharge passengers, then use Shelby, Mills, Madison,
and Hanna to return to NB Shelby.