Senate Bill 52, the dedicated lanes bill IndyGo says threatens Blue Line, is dead

Senate Bill 52, the bill banning dedicated lanes in Indianapolis for a year and potentially derailing IndyGo's Blue Line, is dead.

This means IndyGo can proceed with its plans, though with some changes.

House Speaker Todd Huston, in a statement, said he reached an agreement with city and IndyGo officials to drop the bill in exchange for IndyGo prioritizing the maintenance of two lanes of traffic flow in each direction in its Blue Line plan. This may mean fewer dedicated transit lanes than originally planned.

"In meeting with IndyGo and city officials, we were able to find common ground that included updating the Blue Line plans to prioritize traffic flow while still making improvements along Washington Street to better accommodate the mass transit system," he said. "By keeping at least two lanes of traffic flow going both east and west, whenever possible, we can limit congestion and the negative impacts on local businesses."

Republican leaders in the General Assembly, in defending Senate Bill 52 previously, said a pause on work on Washington Street made sense until lawmakers could have a deeper discussion about road funding during the 2025 budget-writing session ― including the possibility of the state re-acquiring Washington Street, a former state highway.

Though Senate Bill 52 won't move forward, those road funding discussions will still happen, Huston said.

Indianapolis officials, including Mayor Joe Hogsett, quickly released statements praising the outcome.

“I extend my thanks to Indiana House Speaker Todd Huston for working with IndyGo and the City to come to this commitment," Hogsett said. "I am grateful for the many community members who continued to show up and advocate for this transformative investment for our city.”

The House chamber was a flurry of side conversations before lawmakers gaveled in on Thursday, including a hushed chat between McGuire and Huston. A high-up Indianapolis official was seen in the Statehouse Wednesday, a day for closed-door negotiations with House leadership and the bill's author, Sen. Aaron Freeman of Indianapolis.

After the House adjourned Thursday, Huston told reporters his priority from the beginning was maintaining two-lane traffic flow in each direction on Washington Street as much as possible. He declined to share details on how the Blue Line plans will change, other than to say the "vast majority" of Washington Street will maintain two general traffic lanes in each direction.

"I think we got to a solution that met the needs of everybody," he said. "This was not a one-day dialogue. We’ve been thinking about this and talking about this. I think it’s the right compromise for all parties."

Few bills in the Statehouse this session brought more impassioned testimony to the chambers. Advocates for IndyGo's Blue Line plans, as envisioned by Marion County voters when they approved the transit tax referendum in 2016, far outnumbered those who supported the bill ― especially after several Irvington businesses, who initially supported the bill, changed their minds.

IndyGo contended that a ban, even temporary, on dedicated lanes would cause them to lose a $150 million grant they expect to receive this fall, putting the project in jeopardy.

"Thank you to Speaker Huston and the General Assembly for continuing the conversation about the Blue Line throughout this legislative process," IndyGo shared in a written statement. "And thank you to the citizens of Indianapolis who worked so hard to support IndyGo and the Blue Line project."

Freeman, the bill's author, is opposed to the use of dedicated lanes and contended IndyGo could build a bus rapid transit line without them. Freeman has pitched the ban over several years, but the bill gained traction this year because he found an ally in House Speaker Todd Huston.

IndyGo was 90% done with design work on the Blue Line prior to the legislative session. The agency anticipated starting construction in 2025 and wrapping up by 2027.

Contact IndyStar state government and politics reporter Kayla Dwyer at kdwyer@indystar.com or follow her on X, formerly Twitter, @kayla_dwyer17.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Senate Bill 52 is dead, IndyGo's Blue Line can proceed