Competing Smarter

No one living anywhere near Indianapolis could imagine the nation's 14th largest city without White River State Park -- home to the Indianapolis Zoo and White River Gardens; Indiana State Museum and IMAX Theater; Eiteljorg Museum of Native American art, history and culture; NCAA headquarters and the NCAA Hall of Champions; Victory Field and the Indianapolis Indians Triple-A baseball team; The Lawn outdoor concert venue; and the Central Canal waterway.

However, without a plan developed in cooperation with the American Institute of Architects in the 1970s, the west edge of downtown Indianapolis might never have become the laudable quality of life and economic development engine that it is today.

Forty years later, Indianapolis and indeed the Indianapolis Region as a whole is at another major crossroads that will have significant and long-term impact on the people who live in the region, on Indiana site selection and Midwest economic development in general.

This time, the plan takes a comprehensive look at regional public transportation, with a blueprint developed by a task force led by Allan Hubbard, co-founder of locally based acquisition firm E&A Industries and an economic adviser to both Bush administrations. The group also included representatives of the Greater Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce, Central Indiana Corporate Partnership (the nonprofit parent organization of Indy Partnership) and Central Indiana Community Foundation.

This group evaluated transportation investments with an eye towards return on investment, using a rigorous cost-benfit model and focusing on issues like workforce mobility, transit-oriented development and neighborhood redevelopment.  (Read more about the potential economic benefits of the plan here on the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership blog.)

Major enhancements to public transit such as the proposed new in-street light rail, ground-level commuter train, and expanded bus service, bike and pedestrian paths are helpful to the economic development cause. According to an IBM study conducted for Indy Partnership, these types improvements will be viewed by SOME site selection consultants and their clients as a "key project driver," and by ALL consultants and their clients as a positive contributor to the Indianapolis region's business climate, infrastructure and living environment. 

Visit indyconnect.org or read the official press release to learn more about the proposed comprehensive regional transportation plan. Click on the map to view specific proposed routes and transportation modes.