Public Review Open for Regional Freight Plan Draft
PUBLIC REVIEW OPEN FOR REGIONAL FREIGHT PLAN DRAFT
Plan focuses on safety, efficiency, and productivity
Webinars are scheduled for July 19 and 20 to review plan with the public
INDIANAPOLIS, IN (July 13, 2022) – The ability to move freight reliably through our region has been the focus of a recent effort by the Indianapolis Metropolitan Planning Organization (IMPO) to update its Central Indiana Regional Freight Plan. As the plan nears completion, the IMPO is inviting the public to review it and provide comments. The plan can be accessed via the project’s webpage at www.indympo.org/freight.
“The movement of freight affects us all – from the trucks that share our roads, to the shipping fees we pay, to the time it takes to get the products we need,” said Jen Higginbotham, a Principal Planner for the IMPO. “Because of this, and the fact that this plan will guide freight-related investment and decision-making in Central Indiana for years to come, we think it’s important that everyone has the opportunity to review the plan and share their thoughts while it’s still under development.”
The purpose of the Regional Freight Plan is to enhance the region's ability to ensure that freight movement in Central Indiana is safe, productive, efficient, and does not negatively impact communities or the environment.
“Central Indiana is ideally situated to be a valuable crossroads for transporting goods across the Midwest and to nearby large markets like Chicago and Cincinnati,” said Higginbotham. “By identifying ways we can all improve the region’s freight system, we create more opportunities for economic development and introducing new jobs to the local market.”
The plan to improve freight movement through Central Indiana must be balanced with the interests of the public in terms of road congestion, travel safety, and community and environmental impacts. Development of the freight plan considered these issues, identified opportunities for improvement, and has culminated in a list of recommendations designed to both facilitate freight transport in the region and ease impacts on local communities. The freight needs identified in the plan can potentially be addressed on their own or integrated into other transportation projects being planned by local communities like Indianapolis, Avon, Greenwood, Whitestown, and others.
“It’s our goal for the local jurisdictions to use the Regional Freight Plan on an on-going basis to help augment their transportation planning efforts and decisions,” said Higginbotham. “In addition, developing local transportation improvement projects in coordination with the recommendations outlined in the freight plan may also open up additional state and federal funding opportunities.”
The IMPO and its consulting team worked with local communities, businesses, and freight industry representatives as well as local transportation planners to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of Central Indiana’s current freight network and to identify potential threats and opportunities for improvement. Input gathered through this process, combined with a review of existing plans and data analysis, has been used to develop the recommendations contained within the plan.
A comment form posted on the webpage can be used to share comments and questions. Comments can also be submitted via email or mail:
Email:
Mail:
- Indianapolis Metropolitan Planning Organization
c/o Jen Higginbotham
200 East Washington Street, Suite 2322
Indianapolis, IN 46204
For those without internet access, comments can be left via voicemail at 317-327-8601.
The IMPO will host two webinars to review and discuss the freight plan with the public on:
- Tuesday, July 19 at 6-7 pm ET
www.indympo.org/freightwebinarjuly19 - Wednesday, July 20 at 1-2 pm ET
www.indympo.org/freightwebinarjuly20
These hour-long sessions will each contain the same content highlighting the plan’s key elements and recommendations and will provide an opportunity for the public to ask questions. Recordings of the sessions will be posted on the project webpage once they have concluded. If you’d like to set up a presentation for your group or organization, contact Jen.Higginbotham@IndyMPO.org or leave a message at 317.327.8601.
Comments on the Central Indiana Regional Freight Plan should be submitted by July 26 at 5 pm ET. The finalized freight plan is scheduled to have a public hearing and be considered for approval by the Transportation Policy Committee at their meeting on August 17, 2022. Check the IMPO’s Calendar for meeting details.
