Regional Transportation Planning

Over the last few years, the voters have been called on to decide a number of important issues – whether to do away with township assessors, to put property tax caps in the state constitution, and to allow school districts to exceed those same caps on a case by case basis.

Mass transit legislation being considered by Indiana’s House Ways and Means Committee empowers voters in Marion and Hamilton Counties to similarly make their own decision on an expanded, multi-modal transit system (based on the proposal advanced by CICP’s Central Indiana Transit Task Force). The bill doesn’t ask lawmakers to support a tax increase or even declare their support for transit. It simply allows local officials (many of whom support the plan) to put the question before the voters this fall in a referendum.

Most surveys suggest widespread support for such a ballot question, for a number of reasons:

The current IndyGo system, underfunded and limited to Marion County, doesn’t meet the needs of our citizens or our economy. Nearly 20% of households in the region have either no car to get to work or have multiple workers in the household but only one vehicle. For these Hoosiers, access to job opportunities is limited to IndyGo routes, and a simple cross-town commute can take hours with multiple transfers.

Our mass transit plan recognizes that employment centers have shifted across the region. By doubling bus service in Marion County and extending it to Hamilton County, it helps employees and employers by connecting the two. But the economic benefits of transit go beyond helping Hoosiers get to work.

The construction and operation of a multi-modal system with light rail and bus rapid transit (BRT) routes will create a significant number of jobs. Mass transit has also been shown to attract private investment and build a broader tax base, as commercial and residential development grows along the transit lines. In Cleveland, more than $4 billion in private development is planned or in progress along the Euclid Avenue light rail corridor. In Dallas, another $4.2 billion in business and new housing sprang up around the Dallas Area Rapid Transit system between 1999 and 2007.

We see the same kind of potential to revitalize the neighborhoods along the proposed northeast corridor rail line, and along the BRT lines that may transition to light rail as demand and finances allow. 

Finally, mass transit is the kind of ‘quality of life’ infrastructure that helps the Indianapolis region compete for talent and business opportunities. The availability of a young educated workforce is a critical driver of economic development. The convenience of effective public transportation and the attraction of ‘walkable’ neighborhoods served by transit helps lure these workers. 

The arguments for regional transit are numerous and compelling. But the current debate at the Statehouse isn’t really about the merits of mass transit itself – it’s about trusting the elected officials and voters of Marion and Hamilton Counties to look at both sides of the issue and make their own choice.

This position is summed up nicely by this letter to the editor by CICP co-chair Denny Oklak in the Indianapolis Star, as well as the Star’s own editorial plea to legislators.

An impressive, bi-partisan group of elected officials and civic leaders have come together to show their support for a regional mass transit system – demonstrating positive momentum behind this critical issue.  The Central Indiana Corporate Partnership was a founding partner of the private sector-led Central Indiana Transit Task Force, which proposed the plan that was delivered to the community through the Indy Connect public input campaign over the last week. 

We continue to support a multi-modal transit system, crafting the best possible final proposal in 2011 while continuing to build support among policymakers and the public-at-large, then pushing for legislative action and popular approval by referendum in 2012.

The text of the letter is below; the piece has drawn praise from the Indianapolis Star’s editorial pages as well.

We join together today as citizens of Central Indiana.  As bipartisan elected officials we represent various constituencies:  As the Mayor of Indianapolis, seeking a more livable city and a stronger economy; as state legislators representing both Indianapolis and our metropolitan area; as your Congressman, representing the core of the region; and as CIRTA, representing the region’s transportation needs.  We are also members of the private sector.

We’re speaking with a common purpose – to move forward on a regional, multi-modal mass transit system that is ambitious yet realistic and affordable to the taxpayers.

We support a system that revitalizes and expands our bus system while adding bus rapid transit routes and passenger rail lines across Greater Indianapolis.  The system should allow both users and those who choose not to use mass transit to move around the region with greater speed and ease.  It should make dramatic improvements in the mobility of the residents of Indianapolis, commuters from surrounding suburbs, and residents of the neighboring counties traveling within their own communities.  The system should give all citizens more transportation options, connect our workforce with job opportunities, enhance our economic competitiveness and encourage investment in our neighborhoods.

Such a system has been talked about for years, and this year enormous progress has been made in developing a specific plan to move forward.   We are committed to taking the next steps toward our future transit system.

Looking ahead to 2011, there is still significant work to be done to create the best possible plan.  A reliable economic analysis of the final system plan must be completed, so that its costs and benefits are transparent to all.  The specifics of a regional transit authority empowered to build and manage the system will be refined.    Input from local officials will continue to be encouraged, and we will seek their support.

Our goal for 2012 is to present a practical transit plan that delivers a strong return on investment to the region’s taxpayers.  Our hope is that the General Assembly will decide on such a plan during the 2012 short session.  This would allow voters in the counties that wish to participate the opportunity to approve a local funding source and governance structure by referendum later that year, while also seeking federal funding for implementing the system.  Any such plan must be deemed affordable in both capital costs and operating costs before it goes to the voters for a referendum.

While large-scale public investments demand exhaustive planning and careful stewardship of tax dollars, we believe that effective mass transit is a regional priority.  The approach of refining and building public support for the plan in 2011, then taking legislative action and giving voters a voice through county-by-county referenda in 2012, will maintain positive momentum for a comprehensive, multi-modal transportation system.

As public servants and civic leaders, we look forward to working together to move this process forward, and pledge constructive action in 2011, 2012 and beyond to make effective mass transit a reality for Central Indiana.

Christine Altman                                                                                             

Hamilton County Commissioner                                                                               

Chair, Central Indiana Regional Transit Authority

Greg Ballard

Mayor – City of Indianapolis

Andre Carson

U.S. Congressman

Bill Crawford

State Representative, Indianapolis

Roland Dorson

Greater Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce

Central Indiana Transit Task Force

Al Hubbard, Co-Chair

Central Indiana Transit Task Force

Luke Kenley

State Senator, Noblesville

Mark Miles

Central Indiana Corporate Partnership

Central Indiana Transit Task Force

John Neighbours, Co-Chair

Central Indiana Transit Task Force

Bob Palmer, Co-Chair

Central Indiana Transit Task Force

Brian Payne

Central Indiana Community Foundation

Central Indiana Transit Task Force

Later this week, our Energy Systems Network initiative will be hosting a historic meeting between the largest delegation of Chinese automakers ever to visit the U.S. and the growing cluster of Indiana firms that are manufacturing components for electric cars and trucks.  The U.S.-China Advanced Technology Vehicle Summit is a first-of-its-kind forum that represents a global opportunity for Hoosier companies.

China is the world’s fastest-growing market for electric cars, and this Summit will set the stage for stronger relationships and new business opportunities among the participants while showcasing Indiana as a potential site for future investment.

Indiana participants in the Summit include EnerDel, Remy, Allison Transmission, Cummins and Delphi.  EnerDel is one of the region’s brightest economic development success stories of the last few years, and the other firms are mainstays of our manufacturing economy that have positioned themselves on the cutting-edge of the hybrid electric market.  Visiting Chinese companies include such powerhouses as Chery, Geely, Dongfeng and BYD (recently ranked #1 on Bloomberg BusinessWeek’s Tech 100 list).

We’re optimistic that the Summit will pay off relatively quickly in new business opportunities for Indiana firms, supplying more components to the booming Chinese market (China is already the fastest-growing market for Hoosier exports).  The longer-term prospects for Chinese investment in Indiana are also intriguing.  I’d like to excerpt a piece I wrote back in 2008 after a trip to Shanghai:

Back in the 1980s, Americans watched with growing concern as Japanese manufacturers captured a growing share of our markets – in cars, consumer electronics and steel.  There was an outcry against ‘unfair competition;’ publicity-seeking congressmen went so far as to smash Japanese-made TVs and radios on the Capitol lawn.  Here in Indiana, Japan even became an issue in the 1988 campaign for Governor, with barbs about “giveaways” to Japanese companies. 

Fast forward twenty years, and the landscape has completely changed:  Japanese investment is universally recognized as a fundamental strength of Indiana’s economy.  Foreign firms employ more than 90,000 Hoosier manufacturing workers, with companies like Toyota, Honda and Subaru leading the way.  The attraction of the Greensburg Honda plant is recognized as the signature economic development victory of Governor Daniels’ first term. 

Japan has turned from economic villain to valued partner.  It’s an experience we should learn from as we look towards China, another Asian powerhouse that’s stirring protectionist fears.  How can Indiana anticipate and take advantage of future investment from China, as its economy reaches the tipping point that Japan started to reach 20 years ago?  I recently read an interesting report from Deloitte Consulting (“The Coming Investment Wave from China”) that starts providing some of the answers.

To be certain, with the country’s massive population and resources, Chinese companies are still focused on domestic growth, serving international customers through exports.  But this is changing – in 2007, Chinese firms invested a record $37 billion in foreign countries, a 76% increase over 2006.  In Zhejiang Province in eastern China, an epicenter of private development, nearly 900 private companies invested overseas in 2006.

According to the Deloitte report, the list of industries that will experience the first wave of Chinese foreign investment will be topped by the automotive sector, one of Indiana’s strong suits.  Other key industries for overseas investment include pharmaceuticals and electrical equipment – other areas where Indiana has a significant base, existing workforce and fast-growing exports to China. 

The driving forces behind Chinese foreign investment are also likely to mirror the Japanese overseas wave, including the desire to get closer to customers and integrate distribution and supply chain functions.  Indiana’s central geography and strong transportation infrastructure can serve us well in meeting these needs, just as with Japanese automakers and other international firms.

All of China’s major automotive companies have released or announced plans for electric models, and international partnerships and joint ventures are very much a part of their plans.  This Summit could mark the beginning of significant and long-term economic benefits for Indiana.  Read more here and here.

Last Wednesday’s Indianapolis Star printed a version of this excellent editorial by Central Indiana Transit Task Force co-chair John Neighbours, reacting to news of the fiscal uncertainties swirling around the IndyGo bus system.  The dismal state of IndyGo burdens both its users, who find it difficult to get to work or other daily errands due to long delays and inconvenient routes, and also local companies that depend on the bus to bring employees and customers to their places of business.

A more secure source of local funding for the system is certainly necessary;  the best solution is a more comprehensive regional system that provides reliable service across the metro area, and is financed and governed accordingly.  We believe the Central Indiana Transit Task Force has presented such a plan, summarized here.

(As a side note, I’ll be addressing the need for regional mass transit in my remarks to the Economic Club of Indiana this afternoon.)

Lack of reliable transit impedes economic growth

Erika Smith’s recent reporting on the fiscal plight of IndyGo paints a picture of a woefully under-funded public transit system in crisis.  It’s a picture that’s all-too familiar for those who rely on IndyGo on a daily basis.

IndyGo ranks 100^th among the top 100 U.S. metropolitan areas in transit funding, to serve the 26^th-largest metro population, leading to inconvenience and delay.  Let’s say you live near 10^th and Rural, and want to get to work near the Pyramids (96^th Street and Michigan Road) by 8:00am – you’d need to walk to the bus stop around 6am, to begin a one-and-a-half hour trip.  The employee of a company at Park 100 on the northwest side who has the misfortunate to live near 46^th Street and Arlington would suffer through a two-and-a-half hour commute (each way). 

These aren’t unusual scenarios.  For those who are dependent on transit, the current system effectively shuts the door on job opportunities and turns simple trips to the grocery store or doctor’s office into painfully-long  journeys.  For businesses dependent on public transit to connect them to a reliable workforce, IndyGo is a barrier to growth, a drag on economic competitiveness.

There is a better way.  In February, the private sector-led Central Indiana Transit Task Force released a comprehensive regional transportation plan that includes a light and commuter rail network, new highway investment and an expanded regional bus system. 

While the rail lines capture much of the public attention, it’s the bus system that actually receives the majority of new operating funds in the plan.  We don’t just envision fixing IndyGo, but transforming it into a regional system that allows commuters to move easily around Indianapolis and the surrounding counties.  The bus network would include more cross-town routes and higher levels of service, cutting wait times and connecting with rail to provide more transportation options for all.

The urgent need to provide adequate bus service is also reflected in the Task Force’s recommendations for public consideration.  While rail infrastructure is built over several years, bus improvements would begin immediately – offering tangible benefits right away.

A comprehensive and convenient bus system is the backbone of any successful transit system, and the private sector blueprint prioritizes and invests accordingly.  The plan is currently on the table for public comment through the ‘Indy Connect’ campaign of the Metropolitan Planning Organization (offer your own feedback at www.indyconnect.org).  Because buses are the closest and most relevant form of transit to much of the region’s population, we expect the agency to receive a large amount of input on how to better serve their riders.

The other major issue is funding.  Financing IndyGo through property taxes is a recipe for failure.  No one wants higher property taxes; indeed, we believe that mass transit investments can help keep property taxes under control by spurring more residential and commercial development. 

The transportation system should be funded by other local options, like small increases in sales or income taxes – funding the entire proposed regional rail and bus system would cost the average family between $10 and $20 a month in new sales taxes, for example.  That’s the price of a large pizza in exchange for greater mobility, a more convenient commute, and the other economic and environmental benefits of transit.

The sorry state of IndyGo lends urgency to the broader issue:  We need a regional, comprehensive transportation system that includes new mass transit options, like the plan envisioned by the Central Indiana Transit Task Force.  It’s time to agree on the approach, find the best way to pay for it, and make it happen.

John Neighbours

Neighbours is a partner at Baker & Daniels, serves on the Board of the Greater Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce, and was co-chair of the Central Indiana Transit Task Force.

An excellent editorial in the Indianapolis Star (reprinted below) making the case for a truly regional, integrated mass transit system along the lines of what’s been proposed by the Central Indiana Transit Task Force.  (The plan is discussed on this blog here and here, specific details on the plan and the Indy Connect public input campaign can be found here.)

The key to moving on mass transit

It's easy to be cynical about yet another proposal to construct a mass transit system in Central Indiana. As The Star's Erika Smith documented on Tuesday, plans to build rail lines or improve the city's abysmal bus service have arrived one after another, and then quietly departed, for three decades.

Now, however, a new pitch -- the most comprehensive one to date -- to build not only rail and bus lines but also expand roads and bike trails appears to have a better chance for success than any of the earlier proposals.

That's because residents appear ready to embrace mass transit in sufficient numbers to make it feasible and because powerful business leaders, rather than bureaucrats, are helping to push the idea.

Both factors are key to persuading legislators in the General Assembly and members of local city and county councils to approve a funding mechanism, whether it's through a sales tax increase or another method to raise money.

Central Indiana is far behind most metropolitan areas when it comes to public transportation. Indianapolis' bus system is the worst in the nation, not only in regard to size but also service. It's simply not possible for most residents in the region to use IndyGo, the only form of mass transit now available, to commute to work, school or play.

Central Indiana's elected leaders and the residents they represent have repeatedly refused to face up to the need for mass transit. As a result, while Charlotte, Minneapolis, Portland, Salt Lake City and St. Louis moved forward by building attractive and practical transportation systems, Indianapolis stood still.

Some residents may believe they've been frugal in avoiding the expense of rail and bus lines, but the lack of public transportation comes with multiple costs. It's one of the reasons why Indianapolis' air quality is among the worst in the nation. An inability to commute to and from work separates potential employees, especially those with few resources, from prospective employers. And young urban professionals are less likely to live and work in Indianapolis given the lack of transportation options.

The region has one more chance -- perhaps its last in decades if this new effort fails -- to build an asset it should have acquired years ago. Central Indiana can't afford to miss this train.

Last week, our Central Indiana Transit Task Force publicly released its final report, presenting its recommendations to policymakers and the citizens of the region.  This report lays out a regional multi-modal transportation system with financing and governance recommendations, backed up with a rigorous cost-benefit analysis.  Now that the Task Force findings are in the public domain, we’re kicking off a year-long input campaign  – Indy Connect – that will invite a dialogue about Central Indiana’s transportation future, using our plan as a starting point.

I’d like to again thank co-chairs Al Hubbard, Bob Palmer and John Neighbours for their leadership, and all of the Task Force members – including CICP co-chair Jo Ann Gora – for their energy and insight in crafting this impressive study.

Their work will serve the region well.  We’ve lacked an integrated, forward-looking plan for regional transportation, and have paid the cost in terms of economic competitiveness, workforce connectivity, the vitality of our urban core and the potential for new investment and neighborhood redevelopment.  Our blueprint addresses all of these issues; now it’s up to elected officials and the public across the region to make the plan their own and decide if they’re willing to invest in it.  Please offer your two cents at indyconnect.org.

As the public thinks about transit, it’s important to understand the tremendous economic development impact that transit can have – I hope you’ll take a moment to read this excellent editorial from this weekend’s Star from Chuck Cagann of Mansur Real Estate, a Transit Task Force member, that addresses this issue:

Transit investments mean economic payoffs

When we think about economic development, we're likely to focus on tax breaks and other incentives for growing companies, competing against other regions for business opportunities.

That's true, but it's only one part of a bigger picture.  I'd argue that economic development has to be tied to what kind of community we want to build for ourselves and our families:  Do our citizens have access to diverse job opportunities?  Is our region growing?  Do we have great housing options, with thriving retail establishments and other amenities to serve our neighborhoods?

If we embrace this broader definition of economic development, then it's clear to me that a strong regional mass transit system is an important catalyst.

I was proud to serve on the Central Indiana Transit Task Force, a private sector-led group that last week unveiled a comprehensive transportation plan that includes strategic highway investments and an expanded regional bus system connected with light rail to serve the metropolitan area.

As business leaders, we understand a good investment when we see it – regional mass transit is an investment that will pay off in a healthier economy for employers, for taxpayers, for all of us.

Mass transit has been shown to create significant economic investment, as dense commercial and residential development grows along the transit lines.  For example, the Portland streetcar system has generated $1.4 billion along its 4.7 mile loop since 2001, a handsome return on its $300 million cost.  In Cleveland, more than $4 billion in private development is planned or in progress along the Euclid Avenue light rail corridor.  In Dallas, another $4.2 billion in business and new housing sprang up along the DART (Dallas Area Rapid Transit) system between 1999 and 2007.

This transit-oriented development boom can lead to higher property values and a broader tax base, easing the burden for other homeowners and businesses.  In Dallas, for example, high-value development along the DART lines is generating an estimated $127 million in additional tax revenues every year.  In Arlington, Virginia, half of all county property tax revenues are generated from its METRO transit corridors – allowing the county to maintain the lowest property tax rates in the region.

The right system will help our region attract and retain talented people, the skilled workforce that is a magnet for new business opportunities in our knowledge-based economy.  The regions of choice for educated workers provide diversity, arts and culture, an array of recreational amenities.  These regions also offer transit options – the ability to walk or bike to a rail or rapid bus station, to work on your laptop or chat with friends on the way to work.

By allowing employees to get to work more efficiently and affordably, a truly comprehensive regional system also allows local businesses to access a broader workforce, while giving commuters more disposable income to reinvest in the local economy rather than at the gas pump.

The Task Force strategy for mass transit is based on thoughtful planning and a rigorous cost-benefit analysis – but it’s only the beginning.  Now that this plan has been turned over to the public sector for action, every citizen will have an opportunity to weigh in during a series of public meetings and online at www.indyconnect.org. 

The dividends from investing in transit are many and far-reaching: Cutting commutes and putting more job opportunities within reach.  Connecting local businesses with more customers.  Spurring development that creates new jobs and tax revenues while rebuilding our neighborhoods.  The proposed transportation system may evolve over the next year, but it’s certain to be a winning economic development proposition  for all of us – please take part in the conversation and encourage your local elected officials to help turn this vision into reality.

Chuck Cagann is President of Mansur Real Estate Services; he serves on the Central Indiana Transit Task Force, which recently unveiled a strategy for a comprehensive regional transportation system.

Indianapolis, September 10, 2009 – Now generating more than $11 billion in annual revenues, the global orthopedics sector concentrated in Warsaw, Indiana, represents more than half the U. S. market share and more than one- third of the world’s market for developing orthopedic medical devices. 

How does an industry -- contained within a community -- continue to maintain its strong economic presence and position itself for future growth?  BioCrossroads, Indiana’s organization for investment, development and advancement of the state’s signature life sciences strengths, explores and outlines a series of action-oriented responses to this question in a new published report, Warsaw, Indiana: The Orthopedics Capital of the World  -- An overview, analysis and blueprint for future industry and community growth. 

The report represents one of the most comprehensive studies ever conducted of Indiana’s outsized share of this remarkable industry, and it suggests a range of broadly supported steps that the industry, the community and the State can pursue to ensure this sector continues to thrive on Hoosier soil.

Initiated through a planning grant funded by the Lilly Endowment, Inc., the BioCrossroads report reveals stunning statistics that highlight the growth of a sophisticated business sector and the community supporting it:

Kosciusko County has grown its Health & Biomedical employment base by 39 percent since 2001 compared with 15 percent for both Indiana and the U.S.

In 2007, the concentration of jobs in Kosciusko County in the medical devices and equipment category had a location quotient of 51.86, which is nearly 50 times that for the national average, [resulting in] a location quotient that is literally “off the charts.”*

When compared with the larger Metropolitan Statistical Areas analyzed nationally in the Battelle Technology Partnership Practice biennial state by state industry analysis for the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO), the Warsaw, IN Micropolitan Area (population 12,500) would rank as the 15th largest regional employer in medical devices and equipment in the U.S.

“The Warsaw orthopedics community is one of the most robust and concentrated medical equipment development sectors in the world, and a world-class economic asset that powers growth for all of Indiana,”  said David Johnson, President and CEO of  BioCrossroads.  “The integration of all this research has resulted in a picture of an industry cluster in Warsaw, that is currently robust, respected and globally competitive.  While this orthopedics device sector has been tremendously successful to date, our research and the truly global scale of this sector’s reach make it very clear that global pressures now confronting our whole economy, including all our life sciences sectors, have sparked a broadly perceived need for a community and industry engagement strategy focused on education, talent recruitment and retention, workforce and community development to ensure sustainability. 

“We’re now in the process of developing a Warsaw-based, regionally focused organizational initiative that can better define and prioritize the challenges and opportunities, and then seek funding to bring the best and most responsive ideas to life,” Johnson added.

The report details seven initial focus areas for such an initiative to explore:

•             Branding and Awareness – promote the Warsaw community as the orthopedics capital of the world

•             Community Enhancement – develop and add specific, cultural and recreational amenities

•             Education – enhance options and opportunities for K-16 education

•             Talent and Workforce Development – further and focus the necessary collaboration among industry, government and education to identify future needs for this industry’s highly skilled management and workforce

•             Transportation and Logistics – analyze regional transportation challenges and develop specific options for improvement

•             Industry/Technical Support Enterprises – research market opportunities and business cases for specific enterprises that could provide valuable “business infrastructure” for Warsaw’s diversified orthopedics industry

•             College and Research University Engagement – promote and establish specific mechanisms and programs for collaboration among Indiana’s academic and research institutions and between academia and industry to promote innovation and enhance processes for research and development.

“The medical innovation coming out of Warsaw is some of the best in the world, so it’s critical that we have a plan for sustainability and growth.  With true and widespread business and community participation, BioCrossroads has created a roadmap to move us forward, and we are fortunate to have such an action-oriented champion for our community,” said Cheryl R. Blanchard, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer and Senior Vice President, Zimmer, Inc.  “Community and industry leaders are eager to become engaged in this effort and find the best ways to make a positive impact on our community.”

 “Warsaw’s economic vitality is driven by our orthopedics companies, not only for the success of the largest industry leaders, but also for the entrepreneurs and service companies that support this sector,” said David Findlay, Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President of Administration, Lake City Bank.  “The work that BioCrossroads has done in developing this strategic framework will help our community progress, enhancing our assets and filling in our gaps.  I can readily report that there is a lot of energy surrounding this initiative.” 

The report is available on the BioCrossroads Web site:  www.biocrossroads.com

The BioCrossroads report draws heavily upon research by Battelle– both a 2001 study and an update to that work completed in 2009.  In addition, a community study, including a number of in-depth interviews and facilitated discussions with key business and community leaders in the Warsaw region, was conducted and facilitated by Mary Walshok, Ph.D., an international expert in community and economic growth, professor of Sociology at the University of California, San Diego, and a principal in Global CONNECT at UC-San Diego.  The report also includes specific recommendations for new types of enterprises and facilities developed by distinguished orthopedic surgeons.

As we continue to debate various mass transit options for Central Indiana, I wanted to share an experience from my recent trip to China with a delegation from Indiana State University.  On the way to the ISU conference, I made a stop in Shanghai.  As in previous trips there, I took the opportunity to use one of the world’s most advanced high-speed trains to reach downtown from Pudong International Airport – the Shanghai Maglev Train, which can reach speeds of more than 250 miles an hour during normal operation (and has recorded a top speed of over 300mph).

Not to dive too deeply into the technical details, but “maglev” stands for ‘magnetically levitating’ – the train is actually suspended and propelled by magnetic forces, making it quieter, smoother, and faster than conventional locomotives.  If maglev is the most advanced technology, though, it’s also one of the most expensive – the Shanghai project cost about $1.1B (U.S.) to complete.  And with a one-way fare costing about $6, the fare revenues cover just a fraction of this pricetag.

But the government of Shanghai saw the investment as worthwhile, viewing the maglev train as symbolic of their “brand” as a cutting-edge, world-class city.  During the 7 minutes it took me to travel the 20 mile route, it led me to muse about our own mass transit controversies.

I’m not necessarily suggesting that Central Indiana invest in anything remotely comparable to the Shanghai train.  What we need, however, is a comprehensive regional transportation system that accomplishes more pragmatic goals – connecting workforce to jobs, creating meaningful economic development and neighborhood redevelopment opportunities while reducing traffic congestion and pollution. 

A system that’s workable and effective will also serve a broader purpose, as a boon to our region’s image in the all-important battle to attract and retain talented people.  Today’s young educated workers often look for places they want to live and then find jobs, not the other way around – and the regions that rank high on their lists reflect priorities like the environment, arts and recreational amenities, and diversity.  These regions also offer transit options – the ability to walk or bike to a rail or rapid bus station, for example, and work on your laptop or chat with friends on the way to work.  It’s a quality of life investment that helps attract a skilled workforce, who in turn help bring new business opportunities.

Our efforts to jump-start such a system to date have centered on a rail line in the northeast corridor from downtown Indianapolis to Noblesville.  It’s a well-intentioned project that I fear doesn’t think broadly enough.  To me, it’s still debatable whether light rail is always the best alternative, versus bus rapid transit (BRT) – or, most likely, an integration of these and other modes, connected to an overhauled regional bus service, pedestrian routes and more. 

But the overriding issue is that we need a vision for a system that serves all of Central Indiana, not a piecemeal series of pilot projects.  This system would be truly regional and integrated, and be relevant to all of us – to commuters, but also to visitors to the region, to consumers of our cultural and recreational assets, and in meeting our day-to-day travel needs.  And such a system should be built with a reasonable and defined timeline, not an ever-expanding planning horizon that stretches out of our foreseeable future.

This is an issue that I believe is critical to our economy, and we’ll be spending more time and resources on it in months to come.  Watch this space for more, and I’d welcome any thoughts you have to offer.