Our Regional Plan

The Central Indiana: Reflect, Create, Lead, Excel 2050 Metropolitan Transportation Plan (CIRCLE 2050 MTP) guides the area's metropolitan transportation systems over the next 20 years. With the help of transportation planners, engineers, elected officials and the public, the plan ensures facilities and services required to support the mobility needs of the regional community and its future growth are anticipated and available. 

Look below ⇩ under "Approved Plans & Amendments" for the CIRCLE 2050 MTP (approved December 2024) and its amendments (a project list with tabs for each approved and proposed amendment is below).

What is the Metropolitan Transportation Plan?



Goals of the MTP

The MTP supports:

Providing transportation choices for people to easily access homes, jobs, recreation and services by:

  • Enhancing transportation options and choices for all users
  • Implementing strategies that address congested transportation segments
  • Providing equitable access to affordable and reliable transit and non-motorized travel options

Fostering shared economic vitality through strategic investments in regional infrastructure to increase competitiveness and afford ability by:

  • Supporting economic mobility for all Central Indiana residents
  • Ensuring the efficient movement of goods and freight
  • Supporting land uses that allow for housing diversity and choice

Supporting a safe traveling environment for all users by making strategic investments in our region’s infrastructure that preserve and enhance the existing system, by:

  • Improving safety for travelers system-wide especially in higher crash and hazardous areas
  • Creating safe and comfortable mobility options for all by promoting good design practices

Ensuring a reliable and resilient transportation network that preserves or enhances the environment and users' health by:

  • Preserving the existing transportation system
  • Promoting the resilience of the transportation system
  • Minimize negative impacts of the transportation system on the natural environment, air quality, and climate
Transportation Conformity Reporting

Most amendments to the MTP and IRTIP require an updated Transportation Conformity Finding. The elements necessary to demonstrate Transportation Conformity include communication with the Interagency Consultation Group, demonstration of fiscal constraint, and public comment. Below are the guidance documents and the Transportation Conformity Reports and Conformity Finding Letters for the original and each applicable amendment of the MTP and IRTIP.

Transportation Conformity Guidance

2024Q4 - Original CIRCLE 2050 MTP

2025Q1 - CIRCLE 2050 MTP Amendment 1

Projects Outside the MPA

The following is a compiled list of INDOT projects located outside of the Metropolitan Planning Area but within the Transportation Conformity Area (aka the "donut area"). These projects have been reviewed by the Interagency Consultation Group as part of the Transportation Conformity review process.

Approved Plan & Amendments

From time to time, projects or assumptions made in a plan will change. As part of the federal process, an expansion project must be in the regional transportation plan, or MTP. When projects arise that are not in the plan, the plan must be amended. Here you will find the original MTP and amendments to the MTP. Each amendment includes a full, revised project list. Further down on this page is a project list with tabs for each approved or proposed amendment.

Amendments to the 2050 MTP will be made up to twice annually. Check the 2025 meeting schedule for MTP amendment request deadlines, as well as TIP amendment request deadlines.

Original

Amendment 1 *PROPOSED*

Amendment Requests

The following includes a calendar for amendment request deadlines, and forms that include information required for amendment requests. All amendment requests must be started in MiTIP.

2025 Calendar and Deadlines
Amendment Request Required Information
Congestion Management Worksheet
Amendment & Modification Procedures
Public Review and Comment

Documents that are available for public review and comment may be reviewed at the links above or at the IMPO Office, 200 E. Washington St, Ste 2322, Indianapolis, IN, 46204. Calling ahead to make an appointment is recommended to ensure someone will be available to help you if needed. Refer to the MPO Staff page for contact information.

Comments may be submitted via the following options. If you are unable to attend a public hearing but wish to submit a comment in advance to be read during the meeting, it may be sent via email or mail and must be sent received by staff at least 48 hours before the scheduled meeting.

  • Email to Info@IndyMPO.gov
  • Phone by leaving a message on the IMPO's voicemail at 317-327-8601
  • Mail (must be received at least 48 hours before the scheduled meeting) to: Indianapolis MPO, 200 E. Washington St, Suite 2322, Indianapolis, IN 46204

Additional MTP Components

Below are a few additional components of the CIRCLE 2050 MTP. These were individual projects that contributed toward the final recommendations of the MTP.

Federal Performance Measures and Targets

Information about Federal Performance Measures are located on this site under "Maps & Data" > "Studies & Reports".

Transportation Survey Summary

The Indianapolis Metropolitan Planning Organization (IMPO) receives federal funding annually to support transportation investments within Central Indiana. To ensure that those funds are meeting the needs of the region, the IMPO surveys the region to establish goals to address in the transportation system, and also preferences for how much of the funding should be allocated to various project types (new roads, preservation of roads, bikeways, transit, etc.). The survey for the 2050 Metropolitan Plan Update was conducted in July and August of 2020, and responses were balanced/weighted by county to reflect the population distribution of the region.

Regional Activity Centers

A Regional Activity Center (RAC) is a major destination where clusters of employment, residents, and/or visitors are located. Identifying these RACs can help cities, counties and the region focus limited transportation resources and funds towards areas of high activity and most trips generated. The IMPO defined eight types of RACs, and identified their locations within the region. These were used as part of the 2050 MTP process. For more information, check out the "Regional Activity Centers" item on the Technical Studies page.

Scenario Planning

Transportation and land use planning are heavily linked, often with one reacting to the other. Scenario Planning helps the IMPO think through the various ways Central Indiana could grow and change over the next 30 years. We started by combining the region's city, town, and county future land use maps into one master map that we call the "base scenario". Then, we created three more scenario options. Finally, using public and stakeholder feedback, we created the Preferred Scenario. The Preferred Scenario was used in transportation modeling and will be referenced in future planning work. Visit the Scenario Planning page for more information.

CIRCLE 2050 MTP List of Projects

The following project list includes Proposed and Existing & Committed capacity expansion projects as listed in the CIRCLE MTP (Chapter 5). Use the tabs to jump between the Existing & Committed and Proposed project lists. 

These projects are fiscally constrained, meaning that the costs of projects in both the Proposed and Existing & Committed projects lists do not exceed the estimate for how much funding may be available for these kinds of projects through 2050. Use the tabs 

This list will be updated as the CIRCLE 2050 MTP is amended. 

Tabs: 

  • Existing & Committed ("E&C") = projects that have been selected for future funding or have funding obligated for them.
  • Future Project List ("List") = prioritized list of projects that have not yet been selected for funding.
  • Date = the code on each tab indicates the amendment number and quarter of the year (i.e. "2024Q3").
  • "(Proposed)" = indicates a proposed update per a pending MTP Amendment to the Project List.
    • Proposed or approved update items for each amendment are indicated with an asterisk (*) and a bold outline box around the item.

CIRCLE 2050 MTP Projects Map

The following map indicates projects as of the most recently approved amendment of the CIRCLE 2050 MTP.

View larger map