Train Transit

As I mentioned previously, I enjoy trains and everything associated with them!  As a part of economic recovery instated by the Obama administration there is a push to invest, and in some cases, re-invest in passenger train routes all over the country.  If we can remove political aspect of the situation and just focus on the financial impact to all Hoosiers over the next 20 years, might it be a good thing?

First imagine that Indianapolis’ Union Station becomes, once again, a hub for regional train travel.  The IndyGo, and potential regional bus service connect once again at their rightful place downtown.  With the SuperBowl coming in 2012, and other events of that magnitude coming to downtown Indianapolis imagine the statement it would make to have of out-of-town visitors arrive to downtown via steel rail transportation.

Next image the ability to travel to Louisville and Chicago in an hour timeframe with a set number of scheduled, timed station stops?  Further, imagine traveling from Indianapolis and Champaign via train and accomplishing work along the way with the advancement of  Wi-Fi technology.  Over time, streetcars return to Indy reconnecting, Speedway, Irvington and Broad Ripple.  History Factoid:  At its peak in the 1920’s Indiana had an extensive interurban network that connected most of Central Indiana.

Would this be an expensive proposition?  You bet!  But ponder how much time you spend in the car over the course of a year?  How much fuel and time have you wasted?  Think about the resources expended in maintaining the road due to the wear and tear to ever-increasing traffic loads.  The multi-million dollar question is: why is the metro Indianapolis area so afraid of trains? 

Portland, Oregon focused on this issue two decades ago with a light-rail system to connect downtown and suburbs (http://www.trimet.org).  Today the system connects the most of major nodes of the city but expansion continues. The downtown is vibrant, urban in-fill has occurred and the live-work environment is probably one of the best in the country.  Real estate values are excellent even in this economy.

So where will Indianapolis go?  What can the design community to help sway public opinion?

Tags: http://www.cirta.us/, http://www.midwesthsr.org/index.html, http://www.our2012sb.com/, http://www.trimet.org

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