Commuter bus service is coming to Whitestown, through the Central Indiana Regional Transportation Authority.
A loop starting at IndyGo’s crosstown stop at Trader’s Point, at West 86th Street and Zionsville Road in Marion County, with stops at Amazon, Express Script, GNC and Weaver Popcorn in the Allpoints at Anson complex.
Called the “Whitestown Connector,” the route is one of two new services CIRTA plans to launch sometime before the holiday season, the agency said in a press release.
The Plainfield North Connector will pick up commuters at the IndyGo Route 8 stop on Bridgeport Road between Washington Street and Perimeter Road and make a loop on the north side of Plainfield.
“These commuter services are important for people who need jobs and also for employers who need workers,” said Patricia Castañeda, mobility manager for CIRTA, said in a press release. “Plainfield and Whitestown have been incredible to work with, because they recognize the need and see the local value of these demonstration projects.”
Whitestown Town Manager Dax Norton said, “Transportation is an important part of economic development. These connectors help us continue to build a strong case for locating businesses on this side of town.”
Riders with a valid IndyGo pass will pay a $1 fare; riders without a pass will pay $3.
Both services will be funded through three-year federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) grants, with local contributions from Plainfield and Whitestown.
With the new Whitestown and Plainfield North routes, CIRTA will have five commuter service routes connecting to IndyGo stops, providing workers connections to jobs outside of Marion County.
CIRTA also operates nonstop routes between Carmel and downtown Indianapolis, and between Fishers and downtown Indianapolis. The express routes are funded through local municipalities and a private operator.
A Boone Area Transit Service plan to offer commuter bus service to workers at the Lebanon Business Park, using a federal grant, was squelched in March 2013 when the Boone County Council rejected a BATS request to provide $20,000 in matching funds.
Sue Ritz, who was then executive director of Boone County Senior Services, Inc., which operates BATS, had asked the council for an “additional appropriation” of $20,000 from the county’s food and beverage fund. The money would be applied towards a $47,500 local match for a state highway department $156,000 Job Access and Reverse Commute grant. The JARC grant would have provided bus service between Indianapolis and Lebanon.
Four of the seven council members voted against the request; an additional appropriation requires five yes votes to pass.
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