INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana State Fair visitors on Aug. 17 will get the opportunity to experience the future of Central Indiana transportation and see what an expanded transit system would mean for the region. 

On Indy Connect Day, State Fair Boulevard will be transformed into the Indy Connect Experience, where guests can immerse themselves in the various aspects of the Indy Connect plan and see how it could change the way they get to work, play, education, and healthcare.

Indy Connect – a partnership of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), The Central Indiana Regional Transportation Authority (CIRTA) and IndyGo – has presented a plan for a comprehensive transportation system including a regional bus and rail network, roadway improvements and bike and pedestrian walkways. 

The Indy Connect Day at the Fair will feature multiple experience stations, each focusing on a major mode of transportation included in the plan. The stations will include bus rapid transit (BRT), light rail, commuter rail, and a life-size visual of a transit stop envisioned for 38th Street and Fall Creek Parkway.

Visitors also will have a chance to learn more about current public transportation options and resources – including IndyGo, Indy Express Bus, and Commuter Connect. On display will be an IndyGo hybrid bus, Open Door bus, Indy Express Bus, Commuter Connect van and a rural transit vehicle from a suburban county.

"Our goal is to help Hoosiers visualize what the transit system of the future might look like and help them imagine what it might mean for them personally and their community," said Ehren Bingaman, executive director of CIRTA. 

The Indianapolis Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), Central Indiana Regional Transportation Authority (CIRTA), and IndyGo—the organizations behind Indy Connect—will be on hand to answer questions and provide an update on the planning process. 

For more information on the Indy Connect plan, visit use at www.indyconnect.org, or join us on Facebook and Twitter.

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