East side and near-north bus riders are in for a major summertime shakeup. Starting Sunday, June 14, IndyGo will roll out a revamped network that moves routes, tweaks frequencies and builds new transfer points, all aimed at speeding trips along busy corridors and tightening connections with the rapid-transit lines.
The overhaul is part of IndyGo's multi-year Future Service Plan to increase frequency and simplify transfers. Key pieces of the puzzle include Route 3 shifting to every 15 minutes on weekdays, west-side trips splitting into a new Route 7, retiring Route 4 entirely and extending Route 5 to cover stretches of Meadows Drive and other former Route 4 territory, according to IndyGo.
Reroutes And Frequency Boosts
Some riders will see shorter waits, others will see their old one-seat rides broken up. Route 28 is moving to 30-minute weekday service, while Routes 21 and 5 will overlap on 25th Street to effectively double frequency through Martindale-Brightwood and Midtown. Many lines are also getting earlier Sunday trips so riders are not stuck waiting around for that first bus of the day, as reported by FOX59.
To make that happen, IndyGo is trimming back lower-ridership segments or folding them into nearby routes so the agency can pour more service into the corridors that pack the most riders, FOX59 reported.
Red Line Detour And Station Closures
Construction around Fountain Square is causing headaches for the Red Line too. Because of ongoing detours in that area, the Red Line (Route 90) will operate as two pieces, split into north and south segments, and the Fountain Square, Pleasant Run and Raymond stations on the south leg are expected to remain closed as long as the detours stick around, according to IndyGo.
To better thread those temporary detour streets, IndyGo says some south-side Red Line trips will swap the usual 60-foot articulated buses for shorter 40-foot buses so operators can maneuver through tighter turns, per IndyGo.
Open Houses, Maps And Trip Planning
If this all sounds like a lot to keep straight, IndyGo is setting up some face time. The agency will host public open houses at the Julia M. Carson Transit Center the week of May 11, with morning, evening and a Saturday session on the schedule, as reported by FOX59.
Updated paper maps are expected to hit the racks at the transit center in late May. Riders who want one-on-one help plotting new transfers or sorting out how their usual commute will change can call IndyGo Customer Care at 317-635-3344, FOX59 reported.
What Riders Should Do
Expect a bit of chaos as the new system settles in. Many trips that used to run straight through will now require a transfer at the Julia M. Carson Transit Center to reach east-side or near-north stops, so those easy one-bus rides may turn into two-bus journeys.
Riders are urged to check updated schedules on individual route pages or grab a fresh print map at the CTC before June 14. On those first few days under the new lineup, it would not hurt to budget some extra time so a surprise transfer or a slightly off routine does not make you late.
