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99-484: The Standard was conceived by the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP) in 2012 to ensure that BRT corridors worldwide meet a minimum quality standard and deliver consistent passenger, economic, and environmental benefits. This is of particular relevance in countries where "BRTs qualify for special funding from national or provincial governments. In addition to serving as an overview of BRT design elements,

198-532: A National Historic Landmark , encompasses several examples of neoclassical architecture , including the American Legion , Central Library , and Birch Bayh Federal Building and United States Courthouse . The district is also home to several sculptures and memorials, Depew Memorial Fountain , and open space, hosting many annual civic events. After completion of the Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument , an ordinance

297-497: A bike sharing system regardless of the location, size, or density of the city. The guide is currently available only in English and is free for download in .pdf format from the ITDP website. ITDP works with local governments on the expansion and design of bike lanes, and pedestrian networks throughout the city. In São Paulo , Brazil, ITDP assisted in the design of a pilot bicycle path in

396-676: A till plain . Elevations across Indianapolis vary from about 650 feet (198 m) to 900 feet (274 m) above mean sea level . Indianapolis is located in the West Fork White River drainage basin , part of the larger Mississippi River watershed via the Wabash and Ohio rivers. The White River flows 31 miles (50 km) north-to-south through the city and is fed by some 35 streams, including Eagle Creek, Fall Creek , Pleasant Run, and Pogue's Run . The city's largest waterbodies are artificial quarry lakes and reservoirs . Indianapolis

495-438: A BRT corridor. The BRT Standard has defined 5 main categories for design with 32 metrics totaling 100 points and an operational deductions category that has 13 metrics totaling 77 points. Together, these form the total score for the corridor. Both design and operations are critical to creating a high quality BRT corridor. Design decisions are often locked in planning and construction. We often see corridors score well here, getting

594-421: A Center for Community Progress report, neighborhoods like Cottage Home and Fall Creek Place have experienced measurable gentrification since 2000. The North Meridian Street Historic District is among the most affluent urban neighborhoods in the U.S., with a mean household income of $ 102,599 in 2017. The city of Indianapolis maintains 212 public parks, totaling 11,258 acres (4,556 ha) or about 5.1% of

693-451: A bicycle assembly industry in that country. ITDP advocated for the redirection of lending activity by the World Bank and other multi-lateral institutions. Where these global institutions had an exclusive focus on road projects, ITDP worked to open up funding for multi-modal transport solutions. ITDP advocated for sustainable transport initiatives in U.S. transportation policy, influencing

792-420: A block from Monument Circle. The city's address numbering system originates at the intersection of Washington (running east–west) and Meridian streets (running north–south). Beginning construction in 1836, the 8-mile (13 km)-long Indiana Central Canal is the oldest extant artificial facility in the city. Between 1985 and 2001, nearly 1.5 miles (2.4 km) of the former canal in downtown Indianapolis

891-400: A bronze or above in design, but then do poorly in operations, dropping their overall score. While operational deductions may bring the overall score down, these are aspects that can be easily improved in order to improve the score. From there, the updated scoring details can be found in the 2024 BRT Standard with detailed guidance on how to score. The Standard only evaluates a corridor and not

990-454: A center of automobile manufacturing. The city was an early focus of labor organization . The Indianapolis streetcar strike of 1913 and subsequent police mutiny and riots led to the creation of the state's earliest labor-protection laws, including a minimum wage , regular work weeks, and improved working conditions. The International Typographical Union and United Mine Workers of America were among several influential labor unions based in

1089-618: A design and/or consulting capacity in the BRT programs of Ahmedabad , India; Dar es Salaam , Tanzania; Johannesburg , South Africa ( Rea Vaya ); Jakarta , Indonesia ( TransJakarta ); Guangzhou , Lanzhou , and Yichang , China; Mexico City , Mexico, Buenos Aires , Argentina, and more. In June 2007, ITDP published the Bus Rapid Transit Planning Guide along with the United Nations Environment Programme ,

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1188-690: A former auto industry lobbyist and an aggressive opponent of public transit, threatened to introduce a bill that would kill the IndyGo Blue Line project that was aiming for Gold classification unless IndyGo agreed to share lanes with private civilian cars for at least 70% of the BRT route. Freeman's hostility towards public transit resulted in high costs and land acquisition needs for IndyGo to meet his demands so he would withdraw his anti-transit bill. Freeman withdrew his bill when IndyGo complied with his demands, but by complying, IndyGo faced such difficulty constructing

1287-524: A group of leading BRT engineers, designers, and planners. The Standard has been refreshed by adding, combining, and revising elements based on expert feedback and increasing deductions for operations. The most significant changes include an expanded focus on gender, safety, and access; more attention to climate, greening, and resiliency; an improved passenger and customer experience; and a new focus on business operations. The Technical Committee of The BRT Standard comprises experts on BRT. This committee serves as

1386-491: A light rail or metro system, it is much more reliable, convenient and faster than regular bus services. The three main delays facing public transport are 1) boarding and alighting, 2) intersections, and 3) traffic congestion. BRT solves for all three. With the right features, BRT is able to avoid the causes of delay that typically slow regular bus services, while also improving service quality, safety and security, and passenger experience. There are five essential characteristics of

1485-708: A permanent seat of state government. Two years later, under the Treaty of St. Mary's (1818), the Delaware relinquished title to their tribal lands in central Indiana, agreeing to leave the area by 1821. This tract of land, which was called the New Purchase , included the site selected for the new state capital in 1820. The indigenous people of the land prior to systematic removal are the Miami Nation of Indiana ( Miami Nation of Oklahoma ) and Indianapolis makes up part of Cession 99;

1584-458: A political upset. The Ballard administration oversaw the lease of the city's parking meters and the sale of the city's water and wastewater utilities with proceeds financing street repairs. Ballard pursued several environmental sustainability efforts, including establishing an office of sustainability, installing 200 miles (320 km) of bike lanes and trails, and spearheading a controversial deal to start an electric carsharing program. Two of

1683-551: A preliminary set of guidelines for reforming the World Bank Transport Sector economic appraisal to make it less biased in favor of motorways. The report's key recommendation that economic impacts on non-motorized road users be included in the appraisal has been incorporated into World Bank practice. ITDP has offices in seven countries, with projects and relationships in over 100 cities worldwide. In 2009, former mayor of Bogotá , Colombia Enrique Peñalosa , who

1782-668: A result of the city's expansive land area, Indianapolis has a unique urban-to-rural transect , ranging from dense urban neighborhoods to suburban tract housing subdivisions, to rural villages. Typical of American cities in the Midwest, Indianapolis urbanized in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, resulting in the development of relatively dense, well-defined neighborhoods clustered around streetcar corridors, especially in Center Township . Notable streetcar suburbs include Broad Ripple , Irvington , and University Heights . Starting in

1881-444: A seven-member city council. In 1853, voters approved a new city charter that provided for an elected mayor and a fourteen-member city council. The city charter continued to be revised as Indianapolis expanded. Effective January 1, 1825, the seat of state government moved to Indianapolis from Corydon, Indiana . In addition to state government offices, a U.S. district court was established at Indianapolis in 1825. Growth occurred with

1980-399: A source of technical advice with respect to BRT and is the basis for establishing the credibility of The BRT Standard. The Technical Committee certifies corridors and recommends revisions to The Standard as needed. The Institutional Endorsers are an integrated group of institutions in the fields of city building, public transport systems, and climate change with decision-making abilities over

2079-581: A stop at Indianapolis, where an estimated crowd of more than 100,000 people passed the assassinated president's bier at the Indiana Statehouse . Following the Civil War and in the wake of the Second Industrial Revolution , Indianapolis experienced tremendous growth and prosperity. In 1880, Indianapolis was the world's third-largest pork packing city, after Chicago and Cincinnati , and

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2178-506: A system of parkways following the city's waterways. The system's 3,474 acres (1,406 ha) were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2003. Marion County is also home to parks managed by the State of Indiana, including Fort Harrison State Park and White River State Park . Established in 1996, Fort Harrison State Park covers 1,744 acres (706 ha) that are overseen by

2277-520: A town of 1 square mile (2.6 km ), near the confluence of the White River and Fall Creek . Known as the Mile Square, the plan followed a grid pattern centered on a traffic circle called Monument Circle , from which Indianapolis's "Circle City" nickname originates. Four diagonal avenues— Indiana (northwest), Kentucky (southwest), Massachusetts (northeast), and Virginia (southwest)—radiated

2376-408: A town plan for the new settlement. Indianapolis became a seat of county government on December 31, 1821, when Marion County , was established. A combined county and town government continued until 1832 when Indianapolis was incorporated as a town. Indianapolis became an incorporated city effective March 30, 1847. Samuel Henderson , the city's first mayor, led the new city government, which included

2475-428: A whole system, since different corridors can vary widely in design and quality. Certifying a BRT corridor as G old, Silver, Bronze, or Basic sets an internationally recognized standard for the current best practices for BRT and can only be done with the full score (Design + Operational Deductions) six months after opening to allow usage and operations to be more representative of longer-term patterns. The combination of

2574-430: Is 42.4 inches (108 cm). Snowfall averages 25.9 inches (66 cm) per season. Official temperature extremes range from 106 °F (41 °C), set on July 14, 1936 , to −27 °F (−33 °C), set on January 19, 1994 . The U.S. Census Bureau considers Indianapolis as two entities: the consolidated city and the city's remainder, or balance . The consolidated city is coterminous with Marion County , except

2673-554: Is a planned city . On January 11, 1820, the Indiana General Assembly authorized a committee to select a site in central Indiana for the new state capital, appointing Alexander Ralston and Elias Pym Fordham to survey and design a town plan for Indianapolis. Ralston had been a surveyor for the French architect Pierre L'Enfant , assisting him with the plan for Washington, D.C. Ralston's original plan for Indianapolis called for

2772-516: Is available for download in .pdf format from the ITDP website. ITDP has initiated advised on a number of projects in cities around the world. ITDP worked with the Mexico City government to provide technical support for the revitalization of Mexico City's Historic Center . ITDP managed the planning and implementation efforts of the revitalization, in addition to promoting street maintenance and cleanliness, supplementation of public security, and

2871-535: Is committed to "promoting sustainable and equitable transportation worldwide." In addition to its role supporting and consulting local governmental efforts to develop more sustainable transportation, ITDP publishes the magazine Sustainable Transport annually, produces the BRT Standard and other research, and sits on the committee for the annual Sustainable Transport Award . ITDP was founded in 1985 by Michael Replogle and other sustainable transport advocates in

2970-411: Is done through designing environments for cycling and walking, fostering the development of pedestrian and transit based real estate development, and creating policies that help turn cultural and physical spaces into economic assets. In November 2013 ITDP published "The TOD Standard" which elaborates in eight key principles for guiding the implementation of transit-oriented development (TOD). The guide

3069-593: Is land and 6.3 square miles (16 km ) is water. It is the 19th-most extensive city by land area in the U.S. As a consolidated city-county , Indianapolis's city limits are coterminous with Marion County , except the autonomous and semi-autonomous municipalities outlined in Unigov . Nine civil townships form the broadest geographic divisions within the city and county; these are Center , Decatur , Franklin , Lawrence , Perry , Pike , Warren , Washington , and Wayne townships. The consolidated city-county borders

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3168-465: Is situated 98 miles (158 km) northwest of Cincinnati, Ohio , 107 miles (172 km) north of Louisville, Kentucky , 164 miles (264 km) southeast of Chicago, Illinois , and 168 miles (270 km) west of Columbus, Ohio . According to the U.S. Census Bureau , the Indianapolis (balance) encompasses a total area of 367.9 square miles (953 km ), of which 361.6 square miles (937 km )

3267-712: Is unique in that it contains some 200 farms covering thousands of acres of agricultural land within its municipal boundaries. Equestrian farms and corn and soybean fields interspersed with suburban development are commonplace on the city's periphery, especially in Franklin Township . Noted as one of the finest examples of the City Beautiful movement design in the U.S., the Indiana World War Memorial Plaza Historic District began construction in 1921 in downtown Indianapolis. The district,

3366-578: The City-County Building was the first high-rise in the city to surpass the Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument in height. A building boom , lasting from 1982 to 1990, saw the construction of six of the city's ten tallest buildings. The tallest is Salesforce Tower , completed in 1990 at 811 ft (247 m). Indiana limestone is the signature building material in Indianapolis, widely included in

3465-645: The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ), the Hewlett Foundation , and Viva . The guide draws from the extensive BRT design experience of Latin American transit planners , and aims to disseminate this information in the US and other countries around the world. The guide is currently available in English , Spanish , Portuguese , and Chinese , and is free for download in .pdf format from

3564-738: The George Floyd protests in Indiana prompted a series of local police reforms and renewed efforts to bolster social services for mental health treatment and homelessness. In 2021, a mass shooting occurred at a FedEx facility on the city's southwest side, killing nine (including the gunman) and injuring seven others. Indianapolis is located in the East North Central region of the Midwestern United States , about 14 miles (23 km) south-southeast of Indiana's geographic center . It

3663-621: The Indiana Department of Natural Resources . Since 1979, White River has been owned and operated by the White River State Park Development Commission, a quasi-governmental agency. White River's 250 acres (100 ha) are home to several attractions, including the Indianapolis Zoo and White River Gardens . Two land trusts are active in the city managing several sites for nature conservation throughout

3762-485: The Mississippi Flyway , the city sees more than 400 migratory bird species throughout the year. Some 57 species of fish can be found in the city's waterways, including bass and sunfish . Some federally-designated endangered and threatened species are native to the Indianapolis area, including several species of freshwater mussels , the rusty patched bumble bee , Indiana bat , northern long-eared bat , and

3861-450: The National and Michigan roads and later arrival of rail solidified the city's position as a major manufacturing and commercial center. Since the 1970 city-county consolidation , known as Unigov , local government administration operates under the direction of an elected 25-member city-county council headed by the mayor . Indianapolis anchors the 29th largest metropolitan economy in

3960-673: The United States to counteract the spread of costly and environmentally damaging car-centric urban development models, and to promote biking, walking, and public transit in transportation planning . In its first ten years, ITDP worked to support and grow local bicycle industries in Haiti, Nicaragua, Mozambique, South Africa, and West Africa. By 1989, ITDP's Bikes Not Bombs campaign had shipped 10,000 second-hand bicycles to support health and education efforts in Nicaragua and used these to establish

4059-511: The decidious forests that once covered 98% of the region were cleared for agriculture and urban development , contributing to considerable habitat loss . Indianapolis's current urban tree canopy averages approximately 33%. A rare example of old-growth forest in the city can be found on 15 acres (6.1 ha) of Crown Hill Cemetery 's North Woods in the Butler–Tarkington neighborhood. The cemetery's 555 acres (225 ha) represents

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4158-518: The running buffalo clover . In recent years, the National Wildlife Federation has ranked Indianapolis among the ten most wildlife-friendly cities in the U.S. Indianapolis has a hot-summer humid continental climate ( Köppen climate classification : Dfa ), but can be considered a borderline humid subtropical climate ( Köppen : Cfa ) using the −3 °C (27 °F) isotherm. It experiences four distinct seasons. The city lies at

4257-480: The 1990s, including the openings of Circle Centre Mall , Victory Field , and Gainbridge Fieldhouse , as well as ongoing redevelopment of the Indiana Central Canal and White River State Park areas. Bart Peterson took office in 2000, the first Democrat elected to the post since John J. Barton 's 1963 election . The Peterson administration focused on education reform and promoting the arts. In 2001,

4356-647: The 1991 Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA). Responding to ITDP pressure, the Peace Corps put its volunteers on bicycles rather than motorcycles. In the early 1990s, ITDP helped establish the Transport Sector Task Force, an advisory panel to the US Treasury Department's Multi-lateral Development Bank liaison office, to comment on specific transport projects. In its 1994 study "Counting on Cars, Counting Out People" ITDP published

4455-716: The BRT Standard certification process. The endorsers establish the strategic direction of the BRT Standard, ensure that BRT projects ranked by the scoring system uphold the goals of the BRT Standard, and promote the BRT Standard as a quality check for BRT projects. BRT is a high-capacity bus-based transit system that delivers fast, reliable, high quality, safe, and cost-effective services at relatively low cost, metro-level capacities. It achieves that through dedicated bus lanes that are median aligned, off-board fare collection, level boarding, bus priority at intersections, and fast and frequent operations. Because BRT contains features similar to

4554-407: The BRT Standard was created “to establish a common definition of bus rapid transit (BRT) and ensure that BRT corridors more uniformly deliver world-class passenger experiences, significant economic benefits, and positive environmental impact”. The Standard was developed in response to a lack of consensus among planners and engineers as to what constitutes a true BRT corridor. Without a clear definition,

4653-607: The Blue Line right-of-way that the project was cancelled by city-level political decision-makers. Aaron Freeman's opposition to public transit has been praised by notable anti-transit activist Randal O'Toole , who has attacked BRT proposals on his "Antiplanner" blog. In response to that criticism, those in favor of the Standard point out that the overwhelming majority of the Standard elements work well and would also benefit lower demand systems. Above all, BRT designers should take advantage of

4752-559: The Historic Center, further integrating multi-modal development of the area. ITDP co-founded the Partnership on Sustainable Low Carbon Transport (SLoCaT) in 2009 and through that helped secure in 2012 a $ 175 billion 10-year commitment from the world's largest multilateral development banks to support sustainable transport, with annual reporting and monitoring. Working with SLoCaT, ITDP helped mainstream sustainable transport strategies in

4851-648: The ITDP website. In addition, ITDP developed the BRT Standard , a design guide and rating system for Bus Rapid Transit systems around the world. The Standard establishes a common definition for BRT and identifies BRT best practices, as well as functioning as a scoring system to allow BRT corridors to be evaluated and recognized for their superior design and management aspects. It uses a systematic method of evaluating BRT systems, rating their quality as "gold, silver, or bronze". Some systems that had been branded as BRT failed to meet even minimal standards distinguishing BRT from regular urban bus service. A related report on BRT in

4950-518: The Indianapolis area include mammals such as the white-tailed deer , eastern chipmunk , eastern cottontail , and the eastern grey and American red squirrels . In recent years, local raccoon and groundhog populations have increased alongside sightings of American badgers , beavers , mink , coyotes , and red fox . Birds native to the area include the northern cardinal , wood thrush , eastern screech owl , mourning dove , pileated and red-bellied woodpeckers , and wild turkey . Located in

5049-635: The Klan. While campaigning in the city in 1968, Robert F. Kennedy delivered one of the most lauded speeches in 20th century American history, following the assassination of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. As in most U.S. cities during the Civil Rights Movement , the city experienced strained race relations. A 1971 federal court decision forcing Indianapolis Public Schools to implement desegregation busing proved controversial. During

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5148-497: The Standard can be used to evaluate existing BRT corridors and certify them as a Basic, Bronze, Silver, or Gold rated corridors. Corridors which fail to meet minimum standards for Basic ratings are not considered to be BRT. The latest edition of the Standard was published in 2024. BRT systems which do not meet the BRT standard ("Not BRT" by the ITDP), but is marketed as BRT, meet the phenomenon known as " BRT creep ". First released in 2012,

5247-685: The Standard provides a scoring tool that can motivate cities to develop high quality mass transit corridors where possible under the city's prevailing financial and spatial conditions. Institute for Transportation and Development Policy The Institute for Transportation and Development Policy ( ITDP ) is a non-governmental non-profit organization that focuses on developing bus rapid transit (BRT) systems, promoting biking, walking, and non-motorized transport, and improving private bus operators margins. Other programs include parking reform, traffic demand management , and global climate and transport policy . According to its mission statement, ITDP

5346-454: The U.S. Prominent industries include trade, transportation, and utilities; education and health services; professional and business services; government; leisure and hospitality; and manufacturing. The city has notable niche markets in amateur sports and auto racing . Contemporary Indianapolis is home to two major league sports teams, three Fortune 500 companies, eight university campuses, and numerous cultural institutions, including

5445-516: The US noted that "Some American systems reviewed had so few essential characteristics that calling them a BRT system at all does a disservice to efforts to gain broader adoption of BRT in the United States...These systems, with relatively few BRT characteristics, have helped confuse the American public about what exactly constitutes BRT." ITDP encourages urban design that prioritizes human-powered forms of transportation, such as walking, cycling, and

5544-811: The United Nations' post-2015 development agenda and in discussions of climate change mitigation strategies in the run-up to the 2015 global climate summit in Paris (COP-15). With the University of California Davis, ITDP in 2014 published, A Global High Shift Scenario: Impacts and Potential for More Public Transport, Walking, and Cycling With Lower Car Use, showing how a shift in transport funding to support alternatives to more driving could save over $ 100 trillion cumulatively for consumers and governments by 2050 while cutting cumulative climate change pollution from urban transport by 25% and improving equity of access to opportunities for

5643-502: The adjacent counties of Boone to the northwest; Hamilton to the north; Hancock to the east; Shelby to the southeast; Johnson to the south; Morgan to the southwest; and Hendricks to the west. Between 2.6 million and 11,700 years ago, the Indianapolis area was situated on the southern margin of the Laurentide Ice Sheet . The erosive advance and retreat of glacial ice produced a flat or gently sloping landscape, known as

5742-498: The area that became Indianapolis were either the McCormick or Pogue families. The McCormicks are generally considered to be the first permanent settlers; however, some historians believe George Pogue and family may have arrived first, on March 2, 1819, and settled in a log cabin along the creek that was later called Pogue's Run . Other historians have argued as early as 1822 that John Wesley McCormick and his family and employees became

5841-470: The area's first European American settlers, settling near the White River in February 1820. On January 11, 1820, the Indiana General Assembly authorized a committee to select a site in central Indiana for the new state capital. The state legislature approved the site, adopting the name Indianapolis on January 6, 1821. In April, Alexander Ralston and Elias Pym Fordham were appointed to survey and design

5940-485: The city's land area by more than 300 square miles (780 km ) and increased its population by some 250,000 people. It was the first major city-county consolidation to occur in the U.S. without a referendum since the creation of the City of Greater New York in 1898. Lugar is credited with initiating downtown revitalization efforts, overseeing the building of Market Square Arena , renovations to Indianapolis City Market , and

6039-561: The city's land area. Eagle Creek Park , Indianapolis's largest and most visited park, ranks among the largest municipal parks in the U.S., covering 4,766 acres (1,929 ha). Garfield Park , the city's first municipal park, opened in 1876 as Southern Park. In the early 20th century, the city enlisted landscape architect George Kessler to conceive a framework for Indianapolis's modern parks system. Kessler's 1909 Indianapolis Park and Boulevard Plan linked notable parks, such as Brookside , Ellenberger , Garfield, and Riverside , with

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6138-699: The city's largest capital projects, the Indianapolis International Airport 's new terminal and Lucas Oil Stadium , were completed in 2008. In 2012, construction began on a $ 2 billion tunnel system designed to reduce sewage overflows into the city's waterways. Since 2016, the administration of Joe Hogsett has focused on addressing a rise in gun violence and the city's racial disparities. In recent years, significant capital and operational investments have been made in public safety, criminal justice, and public transit. The city also established rental assistance and food security programs. In 2020,

6237-431: The city's many monuments, churches, academic, government, and civic buildings. For statistical purposes, the consolidated city-county is organized into 99 "neighborhood areas" with most containing numerous individual historic and cultural districts, subdivisions, and some semi-autonomous towns. In total, some 500 self-identified neighborhood associations are listed in the city's Registered Community Organization system. As

6336-659: The city's population more than doubled. An estimated 4,000 men from Indianapolis served in 39 regiments, and an estimated 700 died during the war. On May 20, 1863, Union soldiers attempted to disrupt a statewide Democratic convention at Indianapolis, forcing an adjournment of the proceedings, sarcastically referred to as the Battle of Pogue's Run . Fear turned to panic in July 1863, during Morgan's Raid into southern Indiana, but Confederate forces turned east toward Ohio , never reaching Indianapolis. On April 30, 1865, Lincoln's funeral train made

6435-817: The city. As a stop on the Underground Railroad , Indianapolis had one of the largest black populations in the Northern States , until the Great Migration . Led by D. C. Stephenson , the Indiana Klan became the most powerful political and social organization in Indianapolis from 1921 through 1928, controlling the City Council and the Board of School Commissioners, among others. At its height, more than 40% of native-born white males in Indianapolis claimed membership in

6534-452: The country. Indigenous peoples inhabited the area dating to as early as 10,000 BC. In 1818, the Lenape relinquished their tribal lands in the Treaty of St. Mary's . In 1821, Indianapolis was established as a planned city for the new seat of Indiana's state government. The city was platted by Alexander Ralston and Elias Pym Fordham on a 1-square-mile (2.6 km ) grid. Completion of

6633-483: The definition of a BRT corridor has been reduced to a minimum of 3 km (1.9 mi) in length. The peak and off-peak frequency design metrics have been removed, and penalties for low peak and off-peak frequencies have been added. An additional point was added to each of the BRT basic elements, to put greater emphasis on the basic elements of a BRT corridor. The 2016 edition proposed six major changes, including greater focus on safety and system operations, separation of

6732-483: The design evaluation (positive points) and operational evaluation (negative points) gives the final score from the BRT Standard. The BRT Standard has been noted as a one-size-fits-all tool that is not context sensitive. Also, pro-car politicians' opposition to public transit may result in higher construction costs and greater land acquisition needs whenever a public transit agency sets a Gold Standard goal. In one recent case in Indianapolis , State Senator Aaron Freeman ,

6831-495: The design score and the full score (i.e. including both design and operations), improved dedicated right-of-way definition, new types of busway alignments, and partial points for onboard fare validation. The latest BRT Standard, 2024 edition, is the product of feedback from BRT practitioners around the world. Suggestions were formulated into concrete proposals and evaluated by the BRT Standard Technical Committee,

6930-486: The first visit from a president-elect in the city's history. On April 16, 1861, the first orders were issued to form Indiana's first regiments and establish Indianapolis as a headquarters for the state's volunteer soldiers. Within a week, more than 12,000 recruits signed up to fight for the Union. Indianapolis became a major logistics hub during the war, establishing the city as a crucial military base. Between 1860 and 1870,

7029-433: The flexibility inherent in bus systems and consider lower-standard busway sections to avoid physical or political constraints, especially where such sections can later be upgraded to address future demand increases. There are many situations where lower-grade BRT or non-BRT bus schemes are the appropriate solution to upgrade public transit. The Standard should not be a reason to forgo such improvements. However, in many cases,

7128-529: The formation of Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis . Amid the changes in government and growth, the city pursued an aggressive economic development strategy to raise the city's stature as a sports tourism destination, known as the Indianapolis Project. During the administration of the city's longest-serving mayor, William Hudnut (1976–1992), millions of dollars were invested into sports venues and public relations campaigns. The strategy

7227-439: The fourth-most populous state capital in the nation after Phoenix , Austin , and Columbus. The Indianapolis metropolitan area is the 34th-most populous metropolitan statistical area in the U.S., home to 2.1 million residents. With a population of more than 2.6 million, the combined statistical area ranks 27th . Indianapolis proper covers 368 square miles (950 km ), making it the 19th-most extensive city by land area in

7326-430: The independent municipalities of Beech Grove , Lawrence , Southport , and Speedway . The city's balance excludes the populations of ten semi-autonomous municipalities that are included in totals for the consolidated city. These are Clermont , Crows Nest , Homecroft , Meridian Hills , North Crows Nest , Rocky Ripple , Spring Hill , Warren Park , Williams Creek , and Wynnedale . An eleventh town, Cumberland ,

7425-456: The largest green space in Center Township , home to an abundance of wildlife and some 130 species of trees. Native trees most common to the area include varieties of ash , maple , and oak . Several invasive species are also common in Indianapolis, including tree of heaven , wintercreeper , Amur honeysuckle , and Callery pear . A 2016 bioblitz along three of the city's riparian corridors found 590 taxa . Urban wildlife common to

7524-454: The management and controlling of parking and street vending activity in the area. ITDP claims that this reorientation of the Historic Center towards pedestrian and transit oriented development will reverse decades of deterioration, attract tourism and investment, and improve air quality in the notoriously polluted city. Additionally, ITDP participated as part of the team developing Mexico City's Bicycle Master Plan to design routes that connect to

7623-576: The mayor's office became the first in the U.S. to authorize charter schools . Indianapolis Cultural Districts were designated in 2003, followed by the groundbreaking of the Indianapolis Cultural Trail in 2007. Further consolidation of city and county units of government resulted in the establishment of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department in 2007. Later that year, Greg Ballard succeeded Peterson in

7722-434: The mayoral administration of Richard Lugar (1968–1976), the city and county governments consolidated. Known as Unigov (a portmanteau of "unified" and "government"), the city-county consolidation removed bureaucratic redundancies, captured increasingly suburbanizing tax revenue, and created a Republican political machine that dominated local politics until the early 2000s. Effective January 1, 1970, Unigov expanded

7821-706: The mid-20th century, the post–World War II economic expansion and subsequent suburbanization greatly influenced the city's development patterns. From 1950 to 1970, nearly 100,000 housing units were built in Marion County, most outside Center Township in suburban neighborhoods such as Castleton , Eagledale , and Nora . Since the 2000s, downtown Indianapolis and surrounding neighborhoods have seen increased reinvestment mirroring nationwide market trends, driven by empty nesters and millennials . Renewed interest in urban living has been met with some dispute regarding gentrification and affordable housing . According to

7920-496: The neighborhood of Butantã . For the project, ITDP commissioned a report for a 58 kilometer feeder network, which will lead cyclists from adjacent streets and sidewalks to the bicycle path. The path will pass through a high-visibility corridor of the city, and if successfully implemented could be expanded to surrounding neighborhoods and throughout the city. Past projects have included a redesign of India's traditional cycle rickshaw in collaboration with local experts, reducing

8019-527: The opening of the National Road through the town in 1827, the first major federally funded highway in the United States. A small segment of the ultimately failed Indiana Central Canal was opened in 1839. The first railroad to serve Indianapolis, the Jeffersonville, Madison and Indianapolis Railroad , began operation in 1847, and subsequent railroad connections fostered growth. Indianapolis Union Station

8118-403: The poor. This is available on the ITDP website. Indianapolis Indianapolis ( / ˌ ɪ n d i ə ˈ n æ p ə l ɪ s / IN -dee-ə- NAP -ə-lis ), colloquially known as Indy , is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the seat of Marion County . Indianapolis is situated in the state's central till plain region along

8217-553: The primary treaty between the indigenous population and the United States was the Treaty of St. Mary's (1818) . The availability of new federal lands for purchase in central Indiana attracted settlers, many of them descendants of families from northwestern Europe. Although many of these first European and American settlers were Protestants , a large proportion of the early Irish and German immigrants were Catholics . Few African Americans lived in central Indiana before 1840. The first European Americans to permanently settle in

8316-624: The region. Indianapolis is situated in the Southern Great Lakes forests ecoregion which in turn is located within the larger temperate broadleaf and mixed forests biome , as defined by the World Wide Fund for Nature . Based on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 's alternative classification system , the city is located in the Eastern Corn Belt Plains , an area of the country known for its fertile soil. Much of

8415-461: The second-largest railroad center in the U.S. by 1888. By 1890, the city's population surpassed 100,000. Some of the city's most notable businesses were founded during this period of growth and innovation, including L. S. Ayres (1872), Eli Lilly and Company (1876), Madam C. J. Walker Manufacturing Company (1910), and Allison Transmission (1915). Some of the city's most prominent architectural features and best-known historical events date from

8514-474: The spring and summer, with slightly higher averages during May, June, and July. May is typically the wettest, with an average of 5.05 inches (12.8 cm) of rain. Most rain is derived from thunderstorm activity. There is no distinct dry season, although occasional droughts occur. Severe weather is not uncommon, particularly in the spring and summer months. Indianapolis experiences an average of 20 thunderstorm days annually. Indianapolis's average annual rainfall

8613-584: The state's name, Indiana (meaning "Land of the Indians", or simply "Indian Land" ), with the suffix -polis , the Greek word for "city". Jeremiah Sullivan , justice of the Indiana Supreme Court , is credited with coining the name. Other names considered were Concord, Suwarrow, and Tecumseh . In 1816, the year Indiana gained statehood, the U.S. Congress donated four sections of federal land to establish

8712-510: The term BRT was used for corridors that provided only minor improvements in bus service and lacked the elements of BRT that make it competitive with light rail or metro alternatives. This caused a backlash against the BRT "brand", and confusion as to its benefits. The 2014 edition made some improvements to the methodology, including adjustments to the corridor definition, infrequent-service penalties, and increased emphasis on basics. In order to allow BRT corridors in downtown areas to qualify as BRT,

8811-878: The transition between USDA plant hardiness zones 6a and 6b. Typically, summers are fairly hot, humid, and wet. Winters are generally cold with moderate snowfall. The July daily average temperature is 75.4 °F (24.1 °C). High temperatures reach or exceed 90 °F (32 °C) an average of 18 days each year, and occasionally exceed 95 °F (35 °C). Spring and autumn are usually pleasant, if at times unpredictable. Midday temperature drops exceeding 30 °F or 17 °C are common during March and April, and instances of very warm days (80 °F or 27 °C) followed within 36 hours by snowfall are not unusual during these months. Winters are cold, with an average January temperature of 28.1 °F (−2.2 °C). Temperatures dip to 0 °F (−18 °C) or below an average of 3.7 nights per year. The rainiest months occur in

8910-536: The turn of the 20th century. The Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument , dedicated on May 15, 1902, would later become the city's unofficial symbol. Ray Harroun won the inaugural running of the Indianapolis 500 , held May 30, 1911 , at Indianapolis Motor Speedway . Indianapolis was one of the hardest hit cities in the Great Flood of 1913 , resulting in five known deaths and the displacement of 7,000 families. Once home to 60 automakers, Indianapolis rivaled Detroit as

9009-513: The use of rickshaws. Specifically, ITDP often works with cities to encourage car-free days and bike share programs, create safe streets for pedestrians and cyclists, and provide high-quality bicycles. In December 2013 the ITDP published the Bike-Share Planning Guide with the aim "to bridge the divide between developing and developed countries' experiences with bike-share." The guide is expected to be useful for planning and implementing

9108-725: The weight of the vehicles by 30% and adding a multi-gear system to increase efficiency; increasing Africa's cycling capacity while bolstering local industry through the establishment of the California Bike Coalition (CBC); and traffic impact and mitigation analysis along with outreach to local interest groups in the pedestrianization of Malioboro Road in Yogyakarta , Indonesia. ITDP works to integrate transport and smart urban design to help remake cities and suburbs into livable spaces that foster economic opportunities, encourage low carbon lifestyles, and attract residents. This

9207-474: The west fork of the White River . The city's official slogan, " Crossroads of America ", reflects its historic importance as a transportation hub and its relative proximity to other major North American markets. At the 2020 census , the balance population was 887,642. Indianapolis is the 16th-most populous city in the U.S., the third-most populous city in the Midwest after Chicago and Columbus, Ohio , and

9306-399: The world's largest children's museum . The city is perhaps best known for hosting the world's largest single-day sporting event, the Indianapolis 500 . Among the city's historic sites and districts , Indianapolis is home to the largest collection of monuments dedicated to veterans and war casualties in the U.S. outside of Washington, D.C. The name Indianapolis is derived from pairing

9405-450: Was instrumental in the establishment of that city's TransMilenio BRT system, was elected as President of the Board of Directors of ITDP. Walter B. Hook served as the organizations executive director from 1993 to 2014. Heather Thompson is ITDP's interim CEO. ITDP works to encourage safe, modern, and efficient public transportation systems in cities worldwide. ITDP is currently active in

9504-463: Was passed in 1905 restricting building heights on the traffic circle to 86 ft (26 m) to protect views of the 284 ft (87 m) monument. The ordinance was revised in 1922, permitting buildings to rise to 108 ft (33 m), with an additional 42 ft (13 m) allowable with a series of setbacks . A citywide height restriction ordinance was instituted in 1912, barring structures over 200 ft (61 m). Completed in 1962,

9603-462: Was redeveloped into the Canal Walk, a cultural and recreational amenity. North of 18th Street, the canal retains much of its original appearance, flowing through the northside neighborhoods of Riverside , Butler–Tarkington , Rocky Ripple , and Broad Ripple . This segment has been recognized as an American Water Landmark since 1971. Compared to American cities of similar populations, Indianapolis

9702-502: Was successful in landing the U.S. Olympic Festival in 1982, securing the relocation of the Baltimore Colts in 1984, and hosting the 1987 Pan American Games . Beginning in 1992, the mayoral administration of Stephen Goldsmith introduced a number of austerity measures to address budget shortfalls through privatization and greater reliance on public–private partnerships . Major downtown revitalization projects continued through

9801-553: Was the first of its kind in the world when it opened in 1853. During the American Civil War , Indianapolis was mostly loyal to the Union cause. Governor Oliver P. Morton , a major supporter of President Abraham Lincoln , quickly made Indianapolis a rallying place for Union army troops. On February 11, 1861, President-elect Lincoln arrived in the city, en route to Washington, D.C. for his presidential inauguration , marking

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