INDIANAPOLIS — Many Hoosiers rely on IndyGo buses to get to different points around the Indianapolis Metropolitan area.

Thanks to funding from a new grant, the bus system will potentially connect people in the town of Cumberland over to the Indianapolis International Airport.

Justin Bruno has been using IndyGo his whole adult life.

“They support us out here,” Bruno said.

He works part-time as a bellman for a hotel downtown.

The bus helps him in a pinch.

“I do have transportation but things happen. So IndyGo is a blessing,” he said.

IndyGo announced Tuesday that it received a $150 million federal capital grant for the construction of the upcoming Blue Line Bus Rapid Transit route.

The awarded funding comes from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Small Starts Capital Investment Grant.

The FTA’s Capital Investment Grant contribution represents nearly 40 percent of the Blue Line’s estimated project budget.

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“The Blue Line is going to be the longest of the BRT routes. It’s going to run through the heart of the city, the busiest corridor. 28 million visitors, within 150,000 jobs,” IndyGo spokesperson Carrie Black said.

The Blue Line will run 24 miles east to west along I-70, Holt Road and Washington Street.

Black says residents can expect some construction in the coming months.

“A big part of bus rapid transit is dedicated bus lanes. What that does is it allows buses to travel independently of car traffic, and likewise it allows cars to travel independently of the buses and not have to deal with the stops and starts of buses,” she said.

But those dedicated bus lanes are causing a bit of controversy for the people living and working along the streets it will affect.

“Revenue. They’re afraid of the revenue loss. They don’t have corporations to back them,” Jason Hunt said.

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Hunt works at a tavern and sports bar on E. Washington Street in Irvington.

He says there are both positives and negatives to the Blue Line.

“There are a lot of independent restaurants and shop owners within here. So you’re doing to remove the 10 to 15 places out front, you’re going to go down to one lane. You’re going to have increased congestion,” he said.

But on the other hand, he says reliable public transportation is necessary.

“It definitely reduces their stress and their anxiety, I believe, of getting to a doctor’s appointment, getting to work. Maybe they can’t accept a position because of the infrequency of the rides,” Hunt said. “These are growing pains. I think that the pros outweigh the cons.”

Construction on the Blue Line is expected to begin early this year, with the route set to open for service in late 2028.

IndyGo will be hosting open houses in February all along the Washington Street corridor to share the details on construction, closures and detours.

They’ll be sharing the dates, times and locations of those meetings in the next week.

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A local artist has brought a burst of color and culture to the streets of Indianapolis.

A newly painted traffic signal box at U.S. 31 and Edgewood Avenue has turned heads while celebrating Burmese heritage. Designer and painter Yan Yan poured 105 hours into the artwork “Our Enlightenment.” He finished the project in November.

“It showcases different motifs of the Burmese community, especially Indianapolis in the way of cultural practices in Indianapolis,” Yan said.

The Indianapolis Neighborhood Resource Center supported the artwork as part of its cultural art initiative called the Southdale Traffic Signal Public Art Heritage Project, which features a variety of traffic signal boxes.

“From dances to wresting and also other symbols and instruments as well as cultural motifs like traditional attire,” Yan said.

Each side of the box tells a story and highlights Burmese culture. “The location was actually given to me by the Indianapolis Neighborhood Resource Center, but the location is where the majority of the Burmese population and residents are at.”

Indianapolis has one of the largest Burmese populations in the country, with many in Perry Township on the city’s south side.

Yan says he wants to bring the stories of Burmese refugees to life. He came to Indianapolis as a refugee in 2012. “Now I’m working at a refugee resettlement agency called Exodus Immigration.”

Yan also is selling stickers that celebrate a piece of Burmese cultural artistry. Half of the proceeds will go towards helping Burmese refugees. They’re available at Top Point Royal Cafe, a new Burmese coffee shop on the south side of Indianapolis.